Titanium - Superhero of Metals

Titanium is often viewed as a kind of superhero of metals. The mention of its name invokes images of gleaming hi tech structures in advanced applications. Companies often have “titanium” class products which are usually their high-end offerings and makers of professional level equipment from bicycles, motorcycles, and automobiles, to name a few, proudly proclaim the incorporation of titanium in their products.

Titanium certainly has quite a reputation, but it is well deserved. It is truly a superhero metal based on the advantages that it brings to the table. It is lightweight but very strong. It is impervious to corrosion and it is biocompatible. In demanding applications like aerospace, underwater structures and exploration, and medical implants, titanium provides critical advantages. 

While it is most known for the huge advantages it gives for aerospace applications, titanium is also a wonder metal for medical uses. Many implants are constructed of titanium because of its strength-to-weight ratio and its biocompatibility. In addition, titanium powder is utilized on these same implants as a spray coating. The rough nature of the surface after it has been sprayed onto the implant creates a surface that facilitates bonding of the bone tissue to the implant thus allowing for maximum integration of the implant into the body.

An exciting area of development is in the field of additive manufacturing and 3 D printing. Titanium powder is showing promise to bring all of its superior properties to bear at much lower costs.  Complex parts are being made of titanium in a much more efficient way than the traditional subtractive methods involving extensive machining and therefore producing excess scrap material. Buy-to-fly ratios which can typically come in at 20:1 or 15:1 can potentially be reduced to close to 1:1. In addition, new technologies have opened the door to new part/component designs previously impossible to achieve through traditional machining methods. 

Reading Alloys has been involved in the modern titanium industry since its beginning in 1953. As a leading supplier of master alloys to the industry, Reading Alloys expanded its footprint in the titanium industry by producing titanium powders in the early 2000’s. The powders are produced via a hydride/dehydride (HDH) process which produces an angular, blocky morphology especially suited for thermal spray applications. HDH powders are also advantageous for use in CIPP/Sinter applications in blended elemental titanium alloy production.   

Currently, Reading Alloys offers CP Ti powder, Ti 6-4 powder, Magnesium reduced Ti sponge powder, and Sodium reduced Ti sponge powder. CP Ti powders come in grades 1-4 and typical sizes range from 45 to 300 microns although finer/coarser powders can be supplied upon request. 

In addition, master alloy products can be produced as powders with the HDH process with the most common products being 40V/60Al powder, 65V/35Al powder, and vanadium powder among others. Reading Alloys is doing development work to produce powders suitable for additive manufacturing technologies including 3D printing.

Titanium powders produced by Reading Alloys are approved for use by most major orthopedic OEM’s along with qualified contracted spray shops. The entire facility for powder and master alloy production is certified to ISO 9001 and AS 9100 standards and the onsite lab is NADCAP certified. 

Reading Alloys also manufactures a full line of master alloys for the titanium and specialty metal industry along with along with a portfolio of gas atomized powders. For more information please visit www.readingalloys.com