Sales@ContinentalSteel.com, Toll Free US: 855.954.5086 Titanium. Recognizing the strategic importance of titanium, the U.S. Department of Defense supported early efforts of commercialization. Other uses include forged components, such as flap and slat tracks and undercarriage parts. The Kroll... Benefits of Titanium. Titanium is used in engine applications such as rotors, compressor blades, hydraulic system components and nacelles. var sliderWrapper = document.getElementById('motoslider_wrapper60204278a7a1f'); Need to know more about titanium and its uses in the aerospace industry? We have access to a vast stock of aerospace grade aluminium, stainless steel, titanium and magnesium to British, American and European specifications. But what makes it so special? Due to its corrosion resistance, titanium is the preferred choice of manufacturers in this area. Titanium alloys are used in aircraft, armor plating, naval ships, spacecraft, and missiles. It was used to manufacture aircraft structural components, including the frame, skin and engine. Titanium is now used in the fastening elements, airframe and landing gear of airplanes. From welded pipes and valves to heat exchanges, aircraft, naval vessels and even spaceships, titanium is used in a wide variety of applications. Of the early uses of titanium in the field of aerospace engineering, its use in the production of SR-71 “Blackbird” in 1960s has by far been the most popular. At the same time, the demand for titanium in new aircraft is higher than that in older aircraft. The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, an aircraft which set a yet unbroken world record for fastest manned aircraft in 1976, was 92% titanium by weight. Titanium alloys are common in aircraft construction with complex compounds used to provide specific qualities for particular parts, such as with aluminium for hydraulic tubing and with tin and chromium for frames and engines. Titanium is a material of choice for Aerospace applications because it features low density, high strength and outstanding corrosion resistance. Commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys for industrial use (hereinafter referred to as “titanium”) are widely used for air- craft as a material having light weight (density being 60% that of steel), high strength, and excellent corrosion resistance. Corroded airframes and aircraft skins can cause catastrophic failures in the metals. Therefore specialists expect that the use of titanium in aircraft construction will continue to increase. We supply a large variety of titanium aerospace parts, including aircraft engine blades, compressor wheels, impeller pumps, and connecting rods, to name a few. It can be exposed to high temperatures and as a non-magnetic metal, it doesn’t conduct heat or electricity. A lighter aircraft requires less fuel to fly, allowing for fewer refueling stops and subsequently longer time periods spent in continuous flight. Manufacturing processes in the aerospace industry are meticulous and complicated. A material’s weight-to-strength is determined by dividing its strength (as measured by force per area at failure) by its density. Due to their high tensile strength to density ratio, high corrosion resistance, and ability to withstand moderately high temperatures without creeping, titanium alloys are used in aircraft, armor plating, naval ships, spacecraft, and missiles. Stronger than commercially pure titanium, the titanium alloy retains its thermal properties and stiffness. Titanium is not only an expensive material, the costs involved in properly machining the metal often make it less feasible for widespread use throughout the aircraft. Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33303 In the 1950s, the titanium metal industry was established primarily in response to the emerging aerospace industry, which used it in the manufacture of airframe structural components and skin, aircraft hydraulic systems, air engine components, rockets, missiles, … Both Soviet and American military aircraft and submarines designed in the 1950s and 1960s began making use of titanium alloys. Titanium in the Aerospace Industry A Brief History. It also provides superior strength without adding weight and can withstand moderate-high temperatures with no creeping. To this day, titanium remains one of few metals capable of meeting the high standards required by modern aerospace applications. It is used in all sections of the aircraft -- fuselage, nacelles, landing gear, wing, and empennage. By their very nature, aerospace applications demand parts that are both very light and extremely strong. Continental Steel & Tube is a metal supplier and distributor with 30 years of experience. Titanium is also found on internal parts of wings, landing gear and propellers – as well as housing, blades, pumps and screens within the aircraft engine. The future of titanium in the global aerospace market looks promising with opportunities in the commercial aircraft, military aircraft, helicopter, general aviation, and regional aircraft. Without using Titanium as the base metal for their airplanes, performance losses from increased weights would reduce efficiencies and harm flight characteristics. All our materials are sourced from approved mills to ensure you benefit from top-quality supplies. The major growth drivers for this market are increasing deliveries of aircraft and the demand for lightweight titanium materials. Titanium in the global aerospace industry is expected to reach an estimated $5.5 billion by 2031 with a CAGR of 3.5% from 2019 to 2031. As mentioned before, Ti-6-4 has been the workhorse of the titanium industry, and probably 80%-90% of the titanium used on airframes has been this alloy. After a cost-effective production method was developed, titanium's first major use was in military aircraft. Titanium rings are jewelry rings or bands which have been primarily constructed from titanium. Titanium is used as a replacement material for aluminum in aircraft structures when corrosion resistance is the prime consideration. Use of titanium in aircraft can also increase that aircraft’s range while decreasing its fuel use. These characteristics make titanium a preferred choice for use in the aerospace industry. » Titanium is also used for manufacturing aircraft and spacecraft, i.e., the frame and engine components of these machines. Titanium’s resistance to corrosion is a result of a naturally occurring oxide film that forms on titanium when it contacts air. Grade 5 titanium, or Ti-6Al-4V, is the ‘workhorse’. A compound of titanium and oxygen was discovered (1791) by the English chemist and mineralogist William Gregor and independently rediscovered (1795) and named by the German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth. International: 954.332.2290 When alloyed with other elements, like aluminium, molybdenum and vanadium, it provides great strength and resistance. Copyright Ti-TEK Ltd © 2020. All parts are manufactured on VELO3D’s Sapphire system. In addition to its beneficial weight-to-strength ratio, titanium is also highly resistant to corrosion. var outerWidth = sliderWrapper.offsetWidth; Titanium’s most important benefit is its low weight or, more specifically, its excellent weight-to-strength ratio. Titanium alloys for Aerospace applications. By the 1930s, Dr. Wilhelm Kroll began using magnesium to process pure metallic titanium. However, the same engine constructed in part from titanium weighs around 340 kg less. To find out more about the different dimensions of titanium bars, plates, sheets and wire we stock, contact us. Because titanium has both high strength and low density, its weight-to-strength ratio is excellent — this allows it to be used to reduce the weight of an aircraft without sacrificing the aircraft’s structural integrity. The more advanced forum for those of you who want to dig deeper into technical issues as well as airline management and operations. Thermal expansion of a material can weaken it, cause deformation, create cracks, or cause it to break or fail overall. This passivating layer protects the titanium from oxidation and other forms of corrosion. This transition metal has a silver color and is characterized by low tensity and high strength. Today the aerospace industry uses titanium for many additional  applications, including: Titanium is also found on internal parts of wings, landing gear and propellers – as well as housing, blades, pumps and screens within the aircraft engine. It is expected that the average demand for titanium in commercial aircraft will reach 40 tons per aircraft within 20 years. Titanium has been replacing aluminum parts in aircraft manufacturing because of its ability to resist heat and corrosion when it comes in contact with carbon-fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs). Titanium makes up 3% of the total material mix in the Airbus A320. When exposed to air or pure oxygen at high temperatures, titanium forms a passive oxide coating. Ti-TEK, Unit B Tyburn Trading Estate, Ashold Farm Road, Erdington, Birmingham B24 9QG, Tel: 0121 382 4121, Fax: 0121 373 0489. Fax: 954-332-2296, Site Created by Thomas Marketing Services, Common Applications for Stainless Steel and Nickel Alloy Pump Shafts, Understanding Nickel Alloys – Monel® and Hastelloy®, A Guide to Understanding Marine Grade AluminumÂ, All About Titanium from Continental Steel & Tube: Properties, Forms, and Applications, Eliminating frustrating searches with multiple suppliers. Aircraft Materials are the one stop shop for all your high specification material needs. Aircraft Engines Titanium alloys capable of operating at temperatures from sub zero to 600°C are used in engines for discs, blades, shafts and casings from the front fan to the last stage of the high pressure compressor, and at the rear end of the engine for lightly loaded fabrications such as plug and nozzle assemblies. With titanium, this physical problem does not exist. Manufacturing processes in the aerospace industry are meticulous and complicated. Titanium is a lightweight, high-strength, low-corrosion structural metal and is used in alloy form for parts in high-speed aircraft. P.O. Why is titanium used? Aerospace industry applications present a unique problem, and titanium is a uniquely qualified solution. An important advantage of titanium alloys over many other aerospace materials, particularly aluminum alloys and fiber polymer composites, is … Titanium On Commercial Aircraft? Titanium has a naturally low thermal expansion rate, making it an ideal material for use in aircraft, which experience great temperature changes at different altitudes and in different climates. Today, the largest single application of Titanium is its use in gas turbine aircraft engines. The lighter an object is, the easier it is to make it airborne; at the same time, passengers and cargo require protection from the high speeds and altitudes, so strength is also an important factor. Aside from premade parts, we also maintain an expansive inventory of raw titanium, including: To learn more about aerospace grade titanium and titanium parts, contact Continental Steel & Tube today. By the 1930s, Dr. Wilhelm Kroll began using magnesium to process pure metallic titanium. To meet these temperature demands of aircraft engines like lean-burn engines, with temperature potentials as high as (2,100°C), heat-resistant super alloys (HRSA), including titanium … Figure 2 The fan of this International Aero Engines IAE V2500 engine fitted to a Thomas Cook Airlines Airbus A320 is made from Titanium. Titanium components are being increasingly employed in aircraft from Boeing, AirBus and other firms around the world. Titanium 6AL-4V alloyaccounts for almost 50% of all alloys used in aircraft applications. Its superb resistance to corrosion, high strength to low density ratio and fatigue strength explain why it’s used for widespread applications in this industry. For example, the average turbine for a jumbo jet weighs roughly 6350 kg. Thermal expansion describes the tendency of a material to change its shape, volume, and area due to changes in temperature. XB-1 will fly with Titanium 3D-printed components, most of which perform critical engine operations. Using titanium bars, rods, plates and wire allows you to control important properties like chemical composition, strength and hardness – making sure stringent industry standards are met. Although expensive, titanium is commonly used in aircraft manufacture due to its excellent properties including high strength, high temperature resistance and high corrosion resistance. A forum for both professionals and knowledgeable amateurs. The 757 offers an excellent example of the use of titanium in the landing gear area, Fig. Because of this, the aerospace industry is among the largest purchasers of raw titanium and titanium products — purchasing nearly 11% of all titanium alloy. var curHeight = outerWidth * aspect; Titanium Industries provides material that meets the stringent requirements demanded in aircraft engines including high temperature and strength characteristics. All Rights Reserved. Did you know that two thirds of all titanium produced is used in aircraft engines? sliderWrapper.querySelector('[data-motoslider]').height = curHeight + 'px'; The cutting edge design and technology demanded by the aerospace industry makes titanium – like that supplied here at Ti Tek – the metal of choice. The SR-71 'Blackbird' was one of the first aircraft to make extensive use of titanium within its structure, paving the way for its use in modern military and commercial aircraft. 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