Titanium alloy has high strength, good corrosion resistance, and thermal stability. It has a lower density than aluminum alloy and is lighter than steel, making it conducive to reducing structural weight. Due to its excellent mechanical properties, titanium alloys are widely used in aerospace, automotive, medical, and other high-end industries.
However, titanium alloy has poor machinability. Due to its high hardness, low elastic modulus, and poor plasticity, it is difficult to process. Titanium alloy has poor cutting performance, which easily leads to severe tool wear. In the machining process, it is also necessary to control the temperature to avoid generating excessively high cutting temperatures, which could cause oxidation on the surface of titanium alloys.
To improve the machinability of titanium alloys, the following measures can be taken: selecting appropriate cutting tool materials and tool geometries, using suitable cutting parameters and cutting lubrication methods, and employing advanced machining techniques such as high-speed cutting and liquid nitrogen cooling. Furthermore, changing alloy chemical composition and heat treatment processes can also enhance the machinability of titanium alloys.
Titanium alloys have wide ranges of applications: