Titanium 6AL-4V

Hi all, Would anyone know where I can find small amounts of Ti 6AL-4V
bar. We have started making some Ti jewelery and need the higher
grade for tension rings.

We can buy CP grade locally but not 6AL-4V.

Secondly, I would like to etch patterns into the metal. Can this be
done by using HF ?

Regards from a very hot South Africa
Shaun Pearton

Hello Shaun, Ti6AL-4V is the most sold alloy of titanium. (55% of the
market) . 35% is titanium pure is several grades. and the rest others
special alloys… So every titanium industrial supplier should be able
to supply you this alloy. However if you want to use this alloy you
need to deform it above 450 degrees Celsius to wind rings. The problem
is now that you have damaged the structure and if you want a strength
back you need to quench an precipitate harden this alloy.
Precipitation hardening is the same as age hardening, you need to
give the alloy elements the movement (heat) and time to creep towards
the crystal edges. they will form wedges and increase so the
strength. The best way is now to heat again up to 700 degr. C. and
quench in water. Make fine crystals again) Now age harden at this same
temperature for 2-4 hours. at 500 degr C. What you get now is an
alloy with a tensile strength of 1000N/mm2 This is the double of
unalloyed titanium.

But why the fuzz.

The stiffness (flexibility) of the titanium is determing the force
necessary to bend for an x distance. Read this twice to understand.

This stiffness factor is called E-modules.

E-mod for :
grade 1	= 102000N/mm2
grade2-3 = 104000N/mm2
TiAl16-V4 = 115000N/mm2

So by using an alloyed titanium, the force to remove a stone out of
a tension ring is only 10-13% higher. The tensile strength is only
saying how high you can pull on this material before is breaks., but
the elongation still goes along the E-modules line.

My advise is to stick with the unalloyed stuff. it is also easier to
deform, and we don’t need the high tensile strength. we are not
building airplanes.

Martin Niemeijer