The periodic structural characteristics of the grains in the overlapping region of the WAAM deposited additive bead translate into spatially dependent local anisotropic mechanical properties. At the fusion boundary, the epitaxial growth causes the formation of columnar grains due to the high temperature gradient (G)/growth rate (R) ratio. As the solidification progresses to the centre of the overlapping region, the cooling rate decreases/or has a low value of G/R ratio. The grain structure changes to irregular lath-type morphology. After friction stir processing (FSP), the solidification microstructures are refined and have equiaxed grain morphology. The presence of E,E¯,J,J¯,andF shear components have been observed along with the cube and γ —fiber texture components. The presence of the two major components {111} < 112 > and {111} < 110 > of the γ —fiber confirms the improvement in the percent elongation/formability of the overlapping region. The geometric necessary dislocations (GNDs) appearing around ferrite/cementite interface and near to the grain boundaries (GBs), the dislocation pinning by the sub-micron/nanoscale cementite particles via Orowan looping, and dynamic recovery associated networks/or subgrain boundaries formation are the main reasons for the three stages of work hardening rate (θ=dσdε). © 2023, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International.