While titanium and its alloys may be amongst the most useful metals, there are challenges to using them. Most importantly, there can be very complex demands when you come to machine it. This is because the metal’s properties can affect cutting. That can make it harder to work with than steels. However, there are a number of things you can do to be successful with titanium alloy machining. The following should help.
Stick to the feed and speed comfort zone
The focus here should be to prevent work hardening. Deviating from either zone can damage tooling and the metal you are working with. Instead, you should stick within those zones.
Plan for the heat
One characteristic people love about titanium is its low thermal conductivity. However, this can cause issues with machining. It will mean that the heat stays in the work zone. As a result, it can damage tooling. It is important to address this.
Use enough coolant
Using coolant is important to help tackle the heat problem we spoke of above. However, it is also essential for cleaning chips away from the cutting zone. This is important as they can be hot and gummy, potentially sticking to the metal and causing issues for the cutting. There needs to be enough coolant at a high enough concentration, and it must be pumped at a high pressure.
Rigid equipment
It is vital you use the right equipment for titanium alloy machining. You need the machinery to be able to absorb the vibrations and load rather than the metal.
High performance tooling
You should never cut corners with the tooling when you are machining titanium. What you need is tools that can offer high performance. They should not react with the metal and need good hot hardness.
Toolpaths
If you want to be successful with machining any alloy of titanium, you need to select the right toolpath. For example, it is always better to roll into cuts. Machinists will usually slow down when they cut corners but this is a bad idea with this metal. What you need to do is choose toolpaths that will reduce the shock to the machine and cutting tool.
Strategise
You should never rush into machining titanium. Instead, it is wise to take the time to look at the features of the part you are creating. Take note of things like thin walls and areas that will lack support. Your goal should be to choose the right cutting tools and optimise both the feed and speed.
Talk to us about titanium alloy machining
Brindley Metals is a team that can supply quality products and services to clients in an array of industries. Our aim is to offer the best level of service we can. This can include quality metals, first rate workmanship, and fast delivery. In addition, we are happy to offer advice and support.
So, if you need to arrange titanium alloy machining, contact us. We can offer a realistic timeframe for the project.