Titanium has excellent properties that set it apart from other metals. Its durability and strength make it viable for a variety of applications.
Titanium can be alloyed with aluminum, molybdenum, iron, manganese, and other metals. It also possesses exceptional corrosion resistance and a high melting point.
Titanium has a relatively low density and the highest strength to weight ratio of any metal. This is why it is a widely used metal in a variety of engineering applications. These unique properties allow for titanium use in aircraft engines and their parts, spacecraft, missiles, ships, automobiles, prosthetics, architectural elements, and even in oil and chemical industries. Medical, aircraft, and marine industries are the major consumers of titanium.
Titanium is expensive and used for specialized purposes. Its importance is based on its work ability and its capacity to withstand extreme temperatures and varying amounts of tension.
Fabricating titanium is difficult since it requires greater attention to cleanliness. In most machining operations, titanium is one of the most difficult materials to work on account of its metallurgical characteristics. An example would be cutting titanium on a bandsaw machine. Operators should accurately obtain the blade speed, feed rate, blade TPI, and the right amount of coolant to apply.
Since titanium is a thermal conductor, the heat generated during a cut does not dissipate quickly afterward. Because the heat remains concentrated on the cutting area, saw blades tend to dull rapidly.
Titanium has a lower modulus elasticity, which allows for additional manufacturing challenges. During the cutting process, the material has a tendency to spring away from the cutting tool, which can cause chattering and rubbing together instead of cutting. This increases friction and temperature, which will work to shorten the blade and machine life.
Titanium’s useful qualities led fabricators and manufacturers to help developed techniques and parameters that aid in achieving maximum machining efficiency at acceptable cost levels.
The most effective and best trick in achieving good results in machining titanium is to use the right tool. In addition, a combination of speed, tool holder, cutting forces, and fluids are essential to each application.
In order to achieve successful results using a bandsaw machine to cut titanium, the power, speed, and bandsaw blade must all be true and precise. At Sawblade.com, we offer Triple Chip Carbide that is specifically designed for cutting titanium, Inconel, high nickel alloys, and composites.
