Material and process
The challenges of machining titanium and special alloys
Titanium conducts heat poorly, which can place a high load on the cutting edge. Tooling, cooling and workholding must suit the alloy and geometry. An approach used for steel or aluminium cannot simply be reused.
Other special alloys present different challenges. Send the exact material grade, delivery condition and drawing so we can assess manufacturability and inspection needs. Weldability and any required procedures are established separately.
Technical starting points
Material suitability and execution criteria
Exact grade, operations and documentation are agreed for your component. The material examples below do not represent a stock list.
- Grades and condition
- Specify the complete designation, for example a prescribed titanium grade or UNS code, including standard and condition. No fixed list of available titanium or nickel alloys is assumed.
- Operations
- Assessment of milling, turning, drilling and any subsequent operations. Welding, treatment, tooling and inspection are separately assessed for suitability and execution scope.
- Material certificates
- State whether EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 is required. Availability, inspection stages and the link between the heat or batch number and the component are agreed before procurement and production.
- Application and environment
- Use requirements such as low mass, corrosive exposure or high temperature form the intake. The designer and material specification determine which properties need to be demonstrated.
Machines, welding and inspection
Explore the resources for your production route. The suitable machine, welding procedure and inspection approach are established for each workpiece.
Hedelius ACURA 85
Automated five-axis CNC milling for controlled precision work. Explore the key specifications, suitable workpieces and its role in the complete production route.
CNC milling of metal components
Looking to outsource CNC milling? Douna assesses geometry, material, workholding and dimensional inspection in relation to the function of your metal component.
Measuring equipment and range
Coordinate critical features, measuring conditions and reporting with the drawing.
More about materials and machining
CNC milling: design, workholding and manufacturability
What is CNC milling and what makes a part suitable for it? Explore internal corners, tool access, workholding and the choice between 3 and 5 axes.
CNC machining: what is it and how does it work?
What is CNC machining, and how does a drawing become a component? Read about milling, turning, material selection, workholding, costs and dimensional inspection.
Questions about material and supply
Frequently asked questions about material management
Can you supply material with a 3.1 certificate and heat numbers?
State the required certificate type and traceability requirement in the enquiry. Availability of the material certificate and preservation of the link between heat and component are confirmed in advance. A 3.2 document needs additional arrangements for independent inspection; it is not an automatic retrospective alternative.
Can I supply my own material, forging or casting?
Provide material data, condition, starting form and available allowance. Technical assessment establishes the suitable machining route and incoming inspection. Customer-supplied material is not automatically suitable for the final geometry.
Which titanium grades and special alloys can you machine?
This is assessed for each enquiry. Specify standard, grade, product form, condition and required geometry. Without these details, no reliable statement can be made about tooling, machining, weldability or supply.
What should be agreed about cross-contamination and cleanliness?
Specify the required surface condition and any cleanliness criteria. Fixture cleaning, dedicated tools, storage and handling may be relevant. Applicable measures and inspections are established for the order.