Titanium
High strength-to-weight ratio with exceptional corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Titanium alloys (Grade 2, Grade 5 Ti-6Al-4V) are critical for aerospace and medical applications.
About Titanium
Titanium offers the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any structural metal, combined with exceptional corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. These properties make it irreplaceable in aerospace, medical, and marine applications where performance under extreme conditions is paramount.
FabRapid specializes in machining both commercially pure (CP Grade 2) and alloyed titanium (Ti-6Al-4V / Grade 5). Titanium machining requires specialized knowledge — lower cutting speeds, rigid setups, and sharp tools with positive rake angles to prevent work hardening and fire risk. Our experienced machinists optimize every parameter to deliver tight-tolerance titanium parts with excellent surface finishes.
Despite being more expensive to machine than aluminum or steel, titanium parts often deliver net savings through weight reduction, corrosion elimination, and extended service life. A single titanium component can replace heavier steel assemblies while reducing maintenance costs over decades of service.
Material Properties
Available Alloy Grades
Grade 2 (CP)
Commercially pure titanium with excellent corrosion resistance and formability. Lower strength than alloyed grades but better ductility.
Chemical processing equipment, marine hardware, medical devices, heat exchangers
Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V)
The most widely used titanium alloy, comprising over 50% of all titanium production. Excellent strength (950 MPa) with good fatigue resistance.
Aerospace structural parts, medical implants, high-performance automotive, military hardware
Grade 23 (Ti-6Al-4V ELI)
Extra Low Interstitial version of Grade 5 with improved fracture toughness and biocompatibility for medical implants.
Orthopedic implants, dental implants, spinal fusion devices, surgical instruments
Compatible Manufacturing Processes
Titanium can be processed using these manufacturing methods.
Available Surface Finishes
Surface treatments compatible with Titanium.
Common Applications
Design Guidelines for Titanium
Minimum wall thickness: 1.0 mm — titanium is more sensitive to thin walls than aluminum
Avoid sharp internal corners — use minimum R1.0 mm fillets to prevent stress concentration and tool breakage
Keep depth-to-diameter ratio below 4:1 for pockets due to low thermal conductivity causing heat buildup
Design for rigid clamping — titanium has low elastic modulus (110 GPa vs 200 GPa for steel) and deflects under cutting forces
Specify Ti-6Al-4V for structural parts; use CP Grade 2 for chemical resistance applications to reduce cost
Titanium FAQ
Titanium has low thermal conductivity (6.7 W/m·K vs 167 for aluminum), causing heat to concentrate at the cutting edge rather than dissipating through the chip. This requires slower cutting speeds (typically 30-60 m/min vs 200-400 m/min for aluminum), specialized tooling, and rigid machine setups. Material cost is also 10-20× higher than aluminum.
Yes. Titanium and its alloys (especially Grade 23 ELI) are among the most biocompatible metals available. The oxide layer that forms on titanium surfaces is chemically inert and promotes osseointegration — direct bone attachment without fibrous tissue. This makes it ideal for orthopedic and dental implants.
Yes. Ti-6Al-4V is one of the most widely printed metals via DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) and EBM (Electron Beam Melting). Metal 3D printing is often preferred for complex titanium geometries because it wastes significantly less material than machining from billet, which is important given the high material cost.
Titanium can be bead blasted for a uniform matte texture, polished to a mirror finish, or left as-machined. Unlike aluminum, titanium cannot be anodized for decorative colors using standard Type II anodizing — however, specialized anodizing can produce interference colors (gold, blue, purple). PVD coatings are also available.
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