Guide to CNC Machining Titanium: Types, Alloys, Machining Tips

Titanium and its alloys are known to us for their high strength, durability and corrosion resistance. It is widely used in the aerospace and medical industry. We have benefited a lot from titanium parts, but there are still many limitations in titanium CNC machining. View more：https://www.sogaworks.com/blogs/cnc-machining-titanium/nd

1. What is CNC Machining
Titanium?

2. content
Table of
contents
01
Titanium Overview
02
Titanium alloy types
03
Difficulties in Titanium CNC machining
04
CNC machiningprocessesfortitanium
05
Titanium parts processing tips
06
Titanium parts surface finishes

3. 01
Titanium Overview

4. Basic properties of
titanium
Titanium is a metal element with silver-white metallic luster . The atomic numberof
titanium in the periodic table of elements is 22 (4th period, NB group).

5. Commercially Pure
Titanium
Titanium Grade 1
The softest, best ductility, good formability, corrosion resistance, and
high impact toughness.
Titanium Grade 2
Slightly stronger than Grade 1, sharing similar characteristics, but
slightly stronger.
Titanium Grade 3
The strength is higher than the first two grades, the ductility is
equivalent, and the formability is slightly reduced.
Titanium Grade 4
The strongest of the four grades, corrosion resistant, and good in
forming and welding properties.
Commercially pure titanium contains a minimum of 99% pure titanium.

6. 02
Titanium alloy types

7. α phase titanium alloy
α phase titanium
α-phase titanium alloy is mainly composed of α-phase structure, has
good corrosion resistance and high strength, and is suitable for the
aerospace field.
Typical Representatives
Commercially pure titanium (Grade 1-4), Ti-5Al-2.5Sn (Grade 6), and
Ti-0.2Pd (Grade 7) are common types of α-phase titanium alloys.

8. β-phase titanium
alloy
β-phase titanium alloy has a body-centered cubic structure at room temperature
and exhibits good plasticity and toughness.
Typical Representatives
Ti-5Mo-5V-8Cr-2Al
Ti-10Mo-8V-1Fe-3.5Al
Ti-32Mo

9. α-β phase titanium alloy
Definition
These alloys contain a mixture of both α and β phases, allowing a
balance of properties from both types.
Typical Representatives
Ti-6Al-4V is the most common α-β phase titanium alloy and is widely
used in aerospace applications due to its excellent strength-to-weight
ratio and corrosion resistance.

10. 03
Difficulties in Titanium
Processing

11. Effect of Low Thermal
Conductivity
Heat conduction problem
The thermal conductivity of titanium alloy is low, only 1/7 of steel,
1/16 of aluminum, and 1/25 of copper, which makes the cutting heat
difficult to dissipate and concentratein the contact area between the
tool and the workpiece.
Increased tool wear
Concentrated heat accelerates tool wear, creates built-up edge,
shortens tool life, and affects machining accuracy and surface quality.
Elastic deformation and vibration
The elastic modulus of titanium alloy is low, such as TC4 is only
110GPa, which is much lower than that of steel and stainless steel.

12. 04
CNC machining of titanium

13. CNC Milling Technology
principle
CNC milling uses a rotating tool to precisely remove material from a
workpiece to create the desired shape.
Tool material requirements
The high strength of titanium requires milling cutters made from
durable materials such as carbide or reinforced steel.
Machining strategy adjustment
Optimize cutting parameters such as speed and feed rate to control
heat generation and prevent material hardening.
Coolant Application
The high-pressure cooling system helps dissipate heat, reduce tool
wear and improve machining efficiency.

14. CNC Turning Technology
principle
CNC turning forms a precise cylindrical shape by rotating the
workpiece, which is suitable for precision machining of titanium alloys
to ensure dimensional consistency and surface quality.
Material removal efficiency
Utilizing high-speed steel or carbide tools, CNC turning can
effectively remove titanium alloy materials, achieving efficient
production while maintaining good cutting performance.
Vibration reduction strategy
Given the elastic properties of titanium alloys, using rigid fixtures and
stable tool paths can significantly reduce vibration during machining

15. Water jet cutting
Water jet cutting uses high-pressure water flow to cut accurately, avoiding thermal
stress and deformation and maintaining the original properties of the material.

16. 05
Titanium Parts Processing Tips

17. Choose the right cutting
tool
Special tool design
Choose cutting tools designed specifically for titanium alloys, such as
carbide or diamond-coated tools, to increase heat resistance and
withstand high cutting forces.
Material strength matching
Considering the high strength and hardness of titanium, choose cutting
tools made of carbide or hardened steel to ensure the durability and
machining accuracy of the cutting tool.
Tool geometry optimization
Optimize tool geometry, such as sharp cutting edges and appropriate
rake angles, to reduce friction and heat generation during cutting.
Wear prevention strategies

18. Optimizing cutting
parameters
Adjust cutting speed
Reduce cutting speed to the recommended range to reduce heat
generation, prevent material hardening and extend tool life.
Control feed rate
Increase feed rates, maintain constant chip thickness, facilitate faster
machining speeds, and improve thermal management.
Depth Control
Reasonably set the cutting depth to avoid excessive cutting depth,
which will cause excessive tool load and affect machining accuracy
and surface quality.

19. Ensure a rigid setup
The Importance of Rigidity
High rigidity reduces vibration, improves accuracy and extends tool life.
Correct fixture selection
Choose a fixture suitable for the characteristics of titanium alloy to
ensure the stability of the workpiece.
Tool and machine maintenance
Regular inspection and maintenance can keep the machine tool in
optimal condition and avoid processing errors.
Minimize tool deflection
Through precise setting, tool deviation is reduced and machining
efficiency is improved.

20. Reduce tool contact
Milling
The spiral path is adopted to reduce the contact area between the
tool and the material, effectively reducing heat generation.
Efficient milling strategies
Maintain constant chip thickness, small radial depth, increase feed
rate, and improve thermal management.
Controlling cutting depth
Finely adjust the cutting depth to avoid overloading, extend tool life
and improve machining accuracy.

21. 06
Titanium parts surface treatment

22. Sandblasting
Compressed air is used to spray abrasives at high speed onto the surface of
titanium parts to remove impurities and form a uniform texture.

23. Anodizing
Enhanced anti-corrosion performance
By increasing the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the titanium
surface, the corrosion resistance is significantly improved and the
service life of the parts is extended.
Color diversity
The anodizing process can give titanium parts bright colors to meet
decorative needs, while maintaining the original characteristics of the
metal.
Improve wear resistance
The formed oxide layer has high hardness, effectively enhances surface
wear resistance, and is suitable for applications in high friction
environments.
Environmentally friendly and pollution-free
Anodizing is a green surface treatment technology that emits no
harmful substances and complies with environmental protection

24. powder coating
Powder coating
Through electrostatic adsorption, the dry powder coating is evenly
covered on the surface of the titanium parts and solidified at high
temperature to form a dense protective layer.
Coating properties
Provides excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance,
enhancing the environmental adaptability of titanium parts.
Application areas
It is widely used in aerospace, medical equipment and high-end
manufacturing industries to improve component performance.

25. Polishing
Through fine polishing, the surface of titanium parts can reach a high gloss,
showing a mirror-like reflection effect, enhancing the aesthetics and visual impact.

26. chrome plated
Chrome plating principle
Through an electrochemical process, a thin layer of chromium is
deposited on the surface of titanium to enhance surface hardness and
gloss.
Performance improvements
Titanium parts after chromium plating have significantly improved wear
resistance, good corrosion resistance and beautiful appearance.
Application scenarios
It is widely used in aerospace, medical equipment and other fields, and
has high requirements on surface hardness and aesthetics.

27. Brush treatment
Brush effect
Parallel fine lines are produced through mechanical friction, giving
titanium parts a unique texture.
Process principle
Use a wire brush or grinding wheel to scratch the titanium surface,
creating tiny scratches in a consistent direction.
Application Advantages
Enhances visual aesthetics while providing additional anti-slip
properties.

28. THANKS