Superior Titanium Machining for Aerospace & Defense
Have you ever struggled to find a titanium machining partner? Titanium’s properties, including high strength but light weight and exceptional heat resistance, make it one of the most common materials for aerospace and American defense manufacturing, perfect for parts like bolts and airframe and engine components.
However, many precision machine shops find titanium difficult to work with—and not without reason. Titanium is stronger and harder than steel, and shops must invest in ultra-durable coated carbide tooling to cut it effectively.
That’s why when you need titanium machining, you need a precision machine shop like Alard Engineering that specializes in world-class aerospace and American defense manufacturing. We’ve done what it takes to master titanium machining and are undaunted by the challenges associated with this material.
Common Titanium Grades for Aerospace & Defense Applications
There are six grades of commercially pure titanium (grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 11) and four titanium alloys (grades 5, 6, 12, and 23). We commonly work with Titanium Grade 4 and Titanium Grade 5 (also known as Ti-6Al-4V) for aircraft and spacecraft applications.
Titanium Grade 4 has the highest strength of all pure titanium grades and offers excellent corrosion resistance. It also has good ductility, weldability, and formability.
Titanium Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) consists of 6% aluminum, 4% vanadium, and trace amounts of iron, making it much stronger than commercially pure titanium. Known as the “workhorse” of titanium alloys, Ti-6Al-4V can withstand extreme environmental conditions and temperatures up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
From a pricing perspective, titanium is generally less expensive than exotic materials like Inconel but more costly than aluminum or stainless steel.
Why Trust Alard Engineering for Titanium Machining?
Here are a couple of reasons to choose Alard Engineering for precision titanium machining:
Decades of experience. Because titanium isn’t easy to work with, it’s important to find a shop that can confidently handle this material. Alard Engineering has worked with aerospace and American defense manufacturing customers since 1975 and has a long history of machining titanium parts. Today, we estimate that close to10% of the parts we manufacture are titanium. Our depth of experience sets us apart from other precision machine shops.
Strong vendor relationships. Many titanium bolts require the application of a specialized dry film lubricant to prevent galling, a form of mechanical wear that can occur when fastening or unfastening threaded components. Sourcing vendors to perform this operation can be challenging. But at Alard Engineering, we have a trusted network of partners who excel at this service, and we’re committed to continually broadening our vendor base.
You can trust Alard Engineering for all your titanium machining needs. Request a quote from us today, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
