A comparative study of manufacturing processes of complex surface parts in Titanium Ti6Al4V

Abstract

Titanium and its alloys have been increasingly used since the 1950s, because of its excellent characteristics, such as the specific resistance, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility, among others. The most employed alloys are the alpha-beta Ti6Al4V (representing 50% of the market), normally used in devices that demand optimized designs and complex technological properties. The manufacture of components in titanium requires dedicated equipment and the combination of different technologies, like electrical discharge machining, five-axis machining, investment casting, additive manufacturing and others. This work presents a literature review of casting, machining and additive manufacturing technologies relative to titanium parts manufacturing, indicating the most common problems and the solutions proposed, with special empahsis to Ti6Al4V, due to its wide industrial use. The goal is presenting a comparative experimental study of the surface finishing, geometric accuracy and microhardness, in a Ti6Al4V impeller manufactured by Investment Casting, Machining and Selective Laser Melting.