1. Raw material purification and vacuum casting: Purity determines performance
In titanium rod production, high-purity sponge titanium (purity ≥ 99.7%) is first pressed into a dense block through a piezo process, and then three consumable arc melting is performed in a vacuum environment at 1700~1800℃ to completely remove impurities and form a uniform titanium ingot. This process requires precise control of temperature and vacuum (reaching -10³ Pa) to avoid titanium oxidation and nitridation to ensure material performance.
Technological innovation: Using a vacuum plasma cooling furnace (PAM), impurities are separated through plasma arc refining, continuous casting is achieved, and the yield rate and composition uniformity are significantly improved.
2. High-temperature blanking and rolling: the "forging code" of mechanical properties
After the titanium ingot is blanked at 1000℃ and pressed into a square billet, it enters multiple rolling passes:
First rolling (970~980℃): initially forming a cylindrical billet;
Second rolling (950℃): finishing rolling to the target size, the deformation amount must be ≥30% to ensure grain refinement and mechanical strength.
Innovative technology: The introduction of a three-roll planetary rolling mill (PSW) achieves uniform deformation of the bar through the combined motion of revolution and rotation, reduces surface defects, and is suitable for small-batch, high-precision titanium bar production.
3. Heat treatment and surface treatment: "double insurance" for performance optimization
Annealing process: including stress relief annealing, double annealing, etc., to eliminate internal stress and optimize the microstructure;
Surface treatment: sandblasting, pickling, polishing and other processes to improve corrosion resistance and aesthetics, and medical titanium bars also require biocompatible coating treatment.
Technical highlights: Through nano-processing and grain refinement, the strength and toughness of titanium rods can be increased by more than 30%, which is suitable for aviation and medical fields.
4. Precision machining and testing: the "last hurdle" of quality control
Skinning and polishing: remove the surface oxide layer to ensure dimensional accuracy (tolerance ≤±0.05mm);
Non-destructive testing: use ultrasonic and radiographic flaw detection to detect internal defects;
Certification standards: meet international standards such as ASTM B348 and GB/T 2965, and medical titanium rods must pass ISO13485 certification.
5. Future trends: short process and intelligent manufacturing
3D printed titanium rods: realize rapid customization of complex structures and reduce material waste;
Innovation in alloy design: optimize comprehensive performance by adding elements such as aluminum and vanadium;
Digital process: combine AI to predict rolling parameters and shorten production cycle by 30%89.
Titanium rod technology application
From aircraft engine turbine blades to human bone implants, the excellent performance of titanium rods is inseparable from the precise control of each step of the process. With the advancement of green metallurgy and smart factories, titanium alloys will enable high-end manufacturing more efficiently!
