CNC machining Titanium Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) TA2

What is titanium?

Titanium is a lustrous transition metal discovered in the UK in the 18th century. It has a silvery appearance and, despite its low density, is extremely strong. This makes it a valuable commodity in industries where lightweighting is especially important.

In addition to its good strength-to-weight ratio, titanium is also highly resistant to corrosion — from sea water, chlorine, and acids — and is non-toxic even in large amounts. This makes it particularly useful in the medical world, for implants and other medical devices.

In the manufacturing industry, titanium is often alloyed with elements like iron, aluminum, and vanadium.

Description

Why use titanium?

Despite its premium price tag, titanium is an incredibly popular material. Reasons to use titanium include:

High strength
Corrosion resistance
Good strength-to-weight ratio
Ductility
Good machinability
Surface treatment options
Recyclable

For these reasons, titanium is regularly used in industries like aerospace, automotive, and medical.

Titanium aerospace CNC machining include aircraft engine parts, airframe parts, rotors, and compressor blades. In fact, aerospace drives the production of titanium: two thirds of all the produced titanium in the world goes into aircraft engines and airframes.

In the medical world, titanium parts include surgical implants (such as long-term hip replacements) and instruments. The metal is also used for items like wheelchairs and crutches.