Titanium casting

Titanium casting is a fairly recent phenomenon, the material and its alloys are still relatively expensive, as is the titanium casting process. The main benefits from titanium are that it has the highest strength to weight ratio of any metal in its unalloyed condition, titanium is as strong as some steels, but 45% lighter and also possesses superior corrosion resistance. It is often used in place of aluminium; due to the extra strength from titanium alloys the part can be significantly smaller than its aluminium equivalent and proportionally lighter than a steel option. Unfortunately the applications for titanium castings tend to be restricted somewhat by the marked difference in cost.

Titanium casting cannot be done successfully in air as it reacts with oxygen and nitrogen from the atmosphere and hydrogen if moisture is present. The absorption of small amounts (20ppm) causes a reduction in fatigue strength. To overcome this problem, titanium casting has been done under vacuum.

Applications for titanium casting are wide and varied, from medical implants to aerospace and F1. The materials impressive corrosion resistance also makes it a commercially viable option to super alloys in safety critical applications such as offshore fire-fighting equipment.