A method for joining an additively-manufactured component includes welding a plurality of additively-manufactured components via a weld joint to fabricate an integral structure. The additively-manufactured components are built by repeatedly depositing a weld bead layer of a next layer on a weld bead layer formed of a weld bead obtained by melting and solidifying a filler metal by use of an arc, and the weld joint is built along with the deposition.

A heat-resistant weld backing tape for placement between a backing member and a workpiece to be welded at a root gap. The weld backing tape includes a flexible tape substrate. The tape substrate has a longitudinal length that extends between first and second tape substrate ends, and a lateral width that extends between first and second tape substrate side edges. The tape substrate has a substantially planar first face and a substantially planar second face. The first and second tape substrate faces are mutually parallel and spaced from each other by a tape substrate thickness. The tape substrate length and the tape substrate width are substantially larger than the tape substrate thickness. A heat-resistant material is disposed on the first tape substrate face and arranged to face the workpiece during welding. An adhesive material is disposed on the second tape substrate face and arranged to face the backing member during welding.

A weld backing tape for double-sided arc welding of double-groove joint preparations. The weld backing tape includes a flexible tape substrate supporting a centrally-disposed heat-resistant material flanked by adhesive material on each side. The weld backing tape is bendable into a folded shape, the heat-resistant material being on the convex side of the fold for seating in a back-side groove of the weld preparation, with an apex of the heat-resistant material substantially packing an apex of the back-side groove to block weld pool material introduced into a front-side groove of the weld preparation. The back-side groove is defined by a pair of side walls extending from the groove apex to a rear surface of the workpiece. The heat-resistant material has a maximum width selected to leave part of each side wall exposed for engagement by the adhesive material to retain the heat-resistant material in position in the back-side groove during welding.

A heat-resistant weld backing tape for placement between a backing member and a workpiece to be welded at a root gap. The weld backing tape includes a flexible tape substrate. The tape substrate has a longitudinal length that extends between first and second tape substrate ends, and a lateral width that extends between first and second tape substrate side edges. The tape substrate has a substantially planar first face and a substantially planar second face. The first and second tape substrate faces are mutually parallel and spaced from each other by a tape substrate thickness. The tape substrate length and the tape substrate width are substantially larger than the tape substrate thickness. A heat-resistant material is disposed on the first tape substrate face and arranged to face the workpiece during welding. An adhesive material is disposed on the second tape substrate face and arranged to face the backing member during welding.

A method for joining an additively-manufactured component includes welding a plurality of additively-manufactured components via a weld joint to fabricate an integral structure. The additively-manufactured components are built by repeatedly depositing a weld bead layer of a next layer on a weld bead layer formed of a weld bead obtained by melting and solidifying a filler metal by use of an arc, and the weld joint is built along with the deposition.