Initially the development of titanium had a focus on the aerospace industry. However, there has been a huge amount of cross-over adaptation with marine uses. Key things like the strength, lightness, and corrosion resistance make the metal great for applications. A number of grades have a lot of use in marine applications. This includes alloys like grade 5 and pure grades like 1-4. We can offer titanium grade 2 plate/sheet and more for plenty of these projects.
A vital part of our growth
Ocean exploration has been an important part of human history for millennia. Ancient cultures like the Greeks and Romans looked at the seas as a source of food, commerce, and even warfare. We then had the Age of Exploration when sailors set out to find new lands and develop sailing routes. More recently we’ve had a focus on exploring the depths of the oceans.
The development of materials and technology has been crucial to ocean exploration. At first we had limitations because of simple boats that could not travel long distances. However, we since had developments in shipbuilding to create bigger, more durable vessels. Today we have ones that can sail anywhere, in all kinds of challenging conditions.
It is not just shipbuilding that developed though. There were also developments in navigation, cartography, diving, and even measurement. Exploring the seas and oceans continues to be vital to human society.
The depths
A large part of ocean exploration today focuses on the depths. We look here for resources and evidence of how oceans support life on the planet. There are all kinds of scientific discoveries waiting under the surface.
Ocean landers are an important part of this work. Titanium grade 2 plate/sheet can be vital for creating them and other parts. The landers are versatile pieces of equipment that can be used for sampling, imaging, measurement, and more. They can carry tools and instruments efficiently between the surface and the depths.
There are some major advantages if you use titanium. For one thing, the products you create can last a long time and handle long term exposure to marine conditions. They won’t degrade even with long periods of constant immersion. That is vital for landers because it can take several hours to send them to the bottom of the ocean and just as long to get them back up. Crucially, they can resist the conditions while requiring very little maintenance.
The oxide layer that forms on the titanium provides fantastic protection against corrosion. In turn, the landers have high resistance to issues like fatigue cracking. However, you do need to be careful if you are looking at bonding. The oxide layer can be difficult to bond to. So, it may be necessary to remove it with abrasive blasting and then prime the spot for bonding.
You also have the option to anodise titanium. This can provide further protection against issues like galling. A major advantage is you can use anodising with little surface growth. That means your parts can still achieve a very tight tolerance.
An important thing to note though is titanium takes skill to machine. You need to understand its characteristics and how to overcome them. For example, there is low ductility and a low modulus of elasticity. Plus, the high melting temperature and sensitivity to contamination can cause issues for welding.
Do you want to order titanium grade 2 plate/sheet?
Ocean exploration will remain a major industry for a long time because of its importance to science. It could even see growth as more businesses look for resources and to install things like communication networks and pipelines. Whatever the project, people will need to use the right materials. As you’ve seen, titanium is a fantastic option.
A vital thing with materials is to ensure you order high quality ones. Improper manufacturing can result in landers and other equipment that fails prematurely. This tends to be a bigger problem with alloys. What can happen here is the crystalline structure may not be correct if the proportions of elements are incorrect.
Generally there is more consistency with pure grades of titanium such as grade 2. This is simply because they are not alloys and manufacturers don’t need to add other elements. If you do choose it to get this benefit, you simply have to accept the parts won’t be as strong.
You can order high quality titanium grade 2 plate/sheet from Brindley Metals. We work hard to ensure our customers can get the products they need with assurances they will be reliable. Contact us to find out more.