ADDere Additive Manufacturing
THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING

Titanium

Reduce Time Designing and Building in Titanium

Titanium (Ti-6AI-V4, Ti-6-2-4-2 and CP Ti), known for its high strength-to-weight ratio as well as its thermal qualities has made it a great choice for a number of aerospace, automotive, power generation and defense applications. The downside of titanium is its workability which typically requires advanced casting processes or fabrications designed to work around its strengths.

The ADDere additive manufacturing system can now streamline the titanium product design, development and production process by directly printing large-scale components in the material, leaving only finish machining. Going directly from CAD to 3D printed parts allows quicker iteration times, ensuring even short-run titanium parts can be quickly tested and fit. Using the ADDere System for production allows for large and complex component designs to be fabricated much faster than conventional methods. The laser-wire additive manufacturing process can produce a nearly finished component ready for only finish machining. This reduces total machining time hogging components from bar stocks and wasted material costs, which opens the door to more efficient and stronger components.

Sample Part Prints

Titanium Frame

High-complexity 3D print in titanium. Inner detail work makes for ideal additive printing.

Deposition rate: 6 lbs./h
Buidt time: 3 hours
Material: Titanium Ti64
Equipment used: ADDere Custom System

Cross-section Build

High-complexity 3D print in titanium. Inner detail work makes for ideal additive printing.

Deposition rate: 6 lbs./h
Build time: 1 hour
Material: Titanium Ti64
Equipment used: ADDere Custom System

Titanium Solid Bar

A solid bar made entirely from Titanium.

Deposition rate: 7 lbs./h
Build time: 6 hours
Material: Titanium Ti64
Equipment used: ADDere Custom System

Benefits of 3D

Titanium has the added benefit of being the strongest metal that can be readily printed in the same manner as 3D printing any form of plastic. This process allows titanium to be fabricated into any shape or part that is deemed necessary for any application. 3D printing titanium is quickly becoming more and more commonplace to the point where it will someday take the place of machining parts.

Titanium has low thermal connectivity making it a difficult metal to traditionally machine making it an ideal candidate for 3D printing. Titanium is a relatively difficult and expensive metal to produce, and machining down tends to waste a great deal of the metal, and thus wasting money in the process. However, the same titanium part that is 3D printed would have a minimal amount of wasted material because it is printed through an additive process. Modern CAD software also has the benefit of optimizing the printing of the final component which can lead to lighter-weight parts while retaining the same strength.

Industrial applications for 3D-printed titanium also include constructing custom replacement parts in the process of refurbishing or repairing older equipment. Doing so keeps those components performing as well as originally intended and extends the life of the machine itself. Titanium replacement parts tend to be sturdier than the original steel parts and thus would reduce the cost of upkeep on older equipment that would otherwise be costly or difficult to replace. Utilizing 3D-printed titanium parts can potentially keep older capable systems operational well past their intended life span.

With its lightweight and overall strength, the manufacturing applications are endless when 3D printing with titanium. In the foreseeable future, 3D printing could become the new go-to standard for manufacturing with titanium.

Industries Where Titanium is Frequently Used

Power Generation & Storage

Titanium is a highly sought-after metal for use in the construction of turbines, saltwater equipment, toxic waste storage, and chemical treatment plants due to its high heat threshold and resistance to corrosive substances. Titanium is strong and reliable enough to survive even the worst conditions.

Aerospace

The aerospace sector is investing heavily in the creation of manufacturing techniques that aim to reduce the cost of producing titanium components. While currently used techniques of either casting or machining titanium alloys from billet are thought to be the most efficient, new technologies like the ADDere process's laser wire additive manufacturing can reduce production costs and development time by printing titanium alloys at scale and shortening the time required for expensive titanium machining.

Aircraft Manufacturing

The idea of hypersonic flight is becoming more and more feasible as material science advances quickly, and employing titanium will enable travel at those speeds. However, for the time being, specialists are still exploring countless applications for the element that might increase the operational effectiveness of modern airplanes.

Automotive

Titanium is now being used by luxury automakers in parts all throughout the car that is constantly exposed to corrosive and high-heat situations. Among the many items manufactured of titanium are brake calipers, engine valves, tire rims, and other mechanical parts.

Military & Defense

Titanium has been employed in a wide range of military and defense-related applications. The versatility and adaptability that it gives when being formed and constructed, however, allows it to serve a multitude of diverse applications, depending on whatever arm of the defense it is being employed in.

ADDere’s additive manufacturing can streamline the development and production process of large-scale components made from titanium. Contact us today and see if your manufacturing operations can benefit from ADDere’s additive manufacturing with titanium.

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