Titanium newbie

[Dave-Newcastle]

Hi All.

 

I will be required to machine some grade 2 titanium for a prototype at work. I have never cut titanium before and was hoping for some tips!!!

 

Operations i will be performing include surface roughing, surface finishing, drilling, tapping and slotting.

 

Also should this grade of titanium be hardened/heat treated? if so can job be finished then hardened or roughed, hardened and then finished?

 

I know this is a big list of questions but i know that you guys will have experience that you can share.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

I have never seen a job that required titanium to be hardened. You must be careful and make sure you cut, if you nibble along it can work harden. Like any other material once that happens it can be very difficult to work the material further.

 

coolant, coolant, coolant.

 

Make sure you have a Class D fire extinguisher handy, ESPECIALLY if you will be making lots of small and light chips. Those are the ones more so than can ignite.

 

Cutting Ti is not really that difficult, watch your tools it will cut but it is abrasive on the cutters.

[iowajim62]

Cutting commercailly pure Ti Gr 1,2,3 is similar to cutting Steel and Stainless Steel. It's machiniability Index falls between these materials.

 

Here's more info Machining Titanium

HTH

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I've had very good results cutting Titanium using Hanita Vari-Mills. Start at the middle fo the range for SFM and CL.

[john316]

.

 

Vari-Mills work very good for Ti and other hard metals.

 

As for heat treating. If it's required it would be done somewhere before the finish machining. Check your customer requirements for any heat treat info.

 

.

[Storkman]

Keep a chip on it as JP said, and you will be fine. we've cut worse stuff than that. Teh

Stork hates Waspalloy and Stellite.

[Guest]

quote:

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Waspalloy and Stellite.

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:groan:

[Hardmill]

quote:

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Waspalloy and Stellite.

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Mmmmmmm.... Tastes like chicken

 

 

PEACE

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...Waspalloy and Stellite...

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If you don't have gray hair yet, machine some o' that stuff... you'll have it before you're done with the first setup piece.

 

Though I must say, just like anything else, once you know how to deal with it, it's not that bad. They are just both REALLY unforgiving. No mistakes or you'll pay... and pay big!

[Dave-Newcastle]

Thankyou all!!!!!

Its nice to know that there are people that are willing to share knowledge!

 

I did not know that titanium could ignite! glad i asked the question!

 

Cheers

 

Dave.

[Goldorak]

i mainly machine hard material

 

for titanium ceratizit makes an incredible insert especially for TI

 

lot of coolant low SFM and WOC and high IPT and DOC that's the the secret

 

good luck!!!!!

 

@ hardmill

+1 for stellite and waspalloy

 

hastelloy is also a good one

 

inconel 625 is not bad too with ketchup!!

[billystein]

6al4v annealed .milling for high speed i would start at 40 sfm.for cobalt 50 or even 60 for coated.

i have also roughed slots with 1/2" uncoated carbide. 800 rpm 2 ipm .25 doc.

worked well.

i have never seen ti ignite on a machine but i saw a guy light a barrel by putting a cigarete in. i believe it burns about 8000 degrees. also i have heard it is very dangerous to put it out with water. something about explosions.

[Mic]

I know magnesium can ignite and burns with very high tempatures. But can titanium also ignite?

[Troy Gossett Indepak Inc.]

+1 for using full DOC Titanium is very abrasive and if you step down your cutter, the edge will be gone by the time you get to your desired depth(creating prime scenario for aforementioned work hardening). If you make sure your cutter is sharp and use consistent chip load and flood with coolant you'll find it can be very nice to machine.

 

Yes it will burn, seems like not too long ago a building in Seattle was lost to a Titanium fire.

[Goldorak]

http://www.espi-metals.com/msds's/titanium.pdf

 

it says all !!!

[YoDoug®]

Aluminum dust is also highly explosive. If you do fine finishing, buffing or grinding of aluminum be careful of collecting dust.

[Integrex]

Yes titanium burns,

a shop in Calgary was lost a year or two from titanium fire as well. as far as i know they cut both titanium and magnesium, but it was titanium that started the burn.

 

anyone had any fun with astralloy? thats some fun stuff, especially with inconel overlay on it... speaking of inconel... inconel 718 is some pretty brutal stuff. lots of those types of metals around here.

[iowajim62]

quote:

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inconel 718 is some pretty brutal stuff

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howz bout some TZM ?!?!?

Titanium,Zirconium and Molybdenum weeeeeeeee

[Michael Sullivan]

Veggie oil based coolant is best for cutting Titanium. We use Blasocut 4000.

[Goldorak]

quote:

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Yes titanium burns, [Flame]

a shop in Calgary was lost a year or two from titanium fire as well. as far as i know they cut both titanium and magnesium, but it was titanium that started the burn.

 

anyone had any fun with astralloy? thats some fun stuff, especially with inconel overlay on it... speaking of inconel... inconel 718 is some pretty brutal stuff. lots of those types of metals around here.

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MMMmmm all my favorite!!!!

 

inco 625

hastalloy c276

a-286

stellite

 

im happy when i got ss316l to machine i find it very EZ to machine!!!