Forging process of titanium forgings with special customized shapes
Titanium forgings are widely used in aerospace, military, chemical industry, medical and other fields due to their excellent performance. Especially in environments that require high strength, low density and corrosion resistance, the use of titanium alloys is even more indispensable. For titanium forgings with special customized shapes, the forging process is particularly complex and delicate. Haibowell editor will explore the forging process of titanium forgings with special customized shapes in depth to help everyone better understand the production process of customized titanium forgings.
1. Ingredients and smelting
1) Select raw materials: According to the composition requirements of the forgings, select suitable titanium alloy raw materials, such as industrial pure titanium, α+β type titanium alloy (such as TA15), β type titanium alloy, etc.
2) Melting process: Use vacuum melting, arc melting and other methods to melt the titanium alloy raw materials into titanium alloy melts. During the melting process, the melting temperature and atmosphere need to be strictly controlled to prevent oxidation and nitridation to ensure the high purity of the titanium alloy.
2. Preparation before forging
1) Preheating treatment: The titanium alloy melt is preheated to eliminate internal stress, reduce deformation resistance and improve plasticity. Preheating methods include vacuum heat treatment, gas protection heat treatment, etc.
2) Die preparation: Design and manufacture suitable dies according to the shape and size requirements of the forging. The die material usually uses high-temperature alloy or ceramic material to cope with the erosion of high-temperature molten metal.
3. Forging process
1) Heating: Put the titanium alloy billet into the furnace for heating to reach the forging temperature. During the heating process, care should be taken to prevent oxidation and burning. The forging temperature is usually determined according to the type of titanium alloy and the forging requirements. For example, the forging temperature of TA15 titanium alloy is usually in the range of 850°C to 950°C.
2) Forging operation: Forging is performed on a forging machine to form the desired shape and size. This step may need to be repeated several times as needed. Forging methods include free forging, die forging, extrusion die forging, isothermal die forging, etc. Titanium forgings with special customized shapes are usually made by die forging or isothermal die forging to ensure the accuracy and internal structure of the forgings.
Free forging: high flexibility, short manufacturing cycle and low cost, but the accuracy of forgings is low, and it is difficult to achieve forgings with complex structures.
Die forging: high accuracy of forgings, complex structures can be achieved, but the production cost is high and the requirements for dies are also high.
Extrusion die forging: various titanium rings can be manufactured to obtain forgings with high geometric dimensional accuracy and denser internal structure.
Isothermal die forging: the die is heated to the forging temperature of the blank before forging, and the temperature of the die and the blank is kept consistent during the entire die forging process, so that a large deformation can be obtained under the action of a small deformation force.
4. Heat treatment and cooling
1) Heat treatment: heat treatment of titanium forgings after forging to improve their microstructure and mechanical properties. Heat treatment processes include aging treatment, solution treatment, etc.
2) Cooling: cool the titanium forgings after heat treatment to stabilize their shape and size. The cooling method is usually determined according to the size and application requirements of the forging, such as air cooling or oil cooling.
5. Subsequent processing
1) Machining: The heat-treated titanium forgings are machined, such as turning, milling, grinding, etc., to meet the size and shape requirements of the final product.
2) Surface treatment: The titanium forgings are polished, coated or pickled as needed to enhance their corrosion resistance and aesthetics.
6. Quality inspection
1) Dimension inspection: Use measuring tools to check the dimensions of the titanium forgings to ensure that they meet the design requirements.
2) Performance testing: Perform performance tests such as tensile tests and impact tests on titanium forgings to evaluate their mechanical properties.
3) Non-destructive testing: Use non-destructive testing methods such as ultrasonic testing and radiographic testing to check whether there are defects inside the titanium forgings.
The forging process of titanium forgings with special customized shapes is a highly complex and precise process that requires strict temperature control, precise mold design and superb craftsmanship. With the advancement of technology and the diversification of needs, the customization demand for titanium forgings is also increasing, and the application range of titanium forgings will be wider in the future.
