Titanium CNC machining
Titanium gives close to the strength of steel at roughly half the weight, and it resists corrosion. That is why it is chosen in aerospace, in medical devices and anywhere weight is critical. The same properties make it hard to cut — a titanium part cannot be produced the way an aluminium part is, on the same machine with the same approach.
Why titanium is difficult to machine
Three reasons, and each one feeds the others.
- It does not carry heat awayThe thermal conductivity of Ti-6Al-4V is 6.7 W/m·K — about one twenty-fifth that of aluminium. Heat that should leave with the chip and the workpiece collects on the cutting edge instead. The tool softens there and wears fast.
- It work hardensWhen an edge dulls and starts rubbing instead of shearing, the titanium surface hardens. The next pass meets a harder surface, the tool wears faster, and the loop feeds itself.
- Tool life is shortTool wear is the real cost driver in titanium. The price is set less by spindle hours than by insert consumption and the time lost changing them.
Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) — the numbers
About sixty per cent of world titanium consumption is this one alloy. In practice, "a titanium part" usually means this.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Composition | 6% aluminium, 4% vanadium, balance titanium |
| Tensile strength | ≈ 895 MPa (annealed) |
| Yield strength | ≈ 828 MPa |
| Weight | About 45% lighter than steel |
| Thermal conductivity | 6.7 W/m·K |
| Typical use | Aerospace brackets and fasteners, medical implants and surgical instruments, industrial parts needing corrosion resistance |
The parameters that work
Cutting speed in titanium sits far below steel and aluminium; pushing it only burns tools. The commonly accepted ranges are:
| Operation | Cutting speed (m/min) |
|---|---|
| Roughing | 40 – 60 |
| Semi-finishing | 60 – 70 |
| Finishing | 70 – 80 |
These shift with the tool, the coating, coolant pressure and the rigidity of the setup; they are a starting point, not a recipe. Four things go with them: sharp carbide tooling, high-pressure coolant, rigid workholding and uninterrupted chip formation. The tool must never be allowed to rub, even for a moment.
How we do it
Titanium parts run on our DMG Mori DMU 50 and DMU 70 five-axis machining centres. The benefit of five axes here is not only complex geometry: finishing the part in one setup removes the positional error every new setup introduces and the deflection risk every new clamping brings. For small-diameter, long and precise titanium parts our Star sliding headstock lathes take over.
Inspection is in-house: a COORD3 ARES CMM with a Renishaw PH20 five-axis head. On a material this expensive that matters — the part is measured before it ships, not found to be scrap afterwards.
- Reading the drawing before productionWhich dimensions are genuinely critical, which process will create which surface, against which datums it will be measured — settled before any metal is cut.
- A workholding planClamping pressure must not deflect the part; on thin-walled work the fixture is part of the process, not an afterthought.
- Tool managementInsert life in titanium is predictably short, so tool changes are planned rather than waited for.
- TraceabilityMaterial certificate, inspection record and declaration of conformity travel with the part.
What a quote needs
- A drawing or 3D model — STEP preferred, with a 2D drawing for dimensions and tolerances.
- The alloy — Ti-6Al-4V or another grade; name the standard if a specific one is required.
- Quantity and lead time — a single prototype and a repeating batch are not priced the same way.
- Surface treatment and documentation — plating, passivation, inspection report, material certificate.
We review the drawing for manufacturability and quote it. If we see a tolerance or a surface value that raises cost for no benefit, we say so and suggest where it can be relaxed without affecting how the part works.
- titanium CNC machining
- Ti-6Al-4V
- Grade 5 titanium
- 5-axis milling
- aerospace parts
- medical parts
- Ankara Ostim
Frequently asked questions
Why is titanium machining more expensive than aluminium?
Two items: the material itself and tool consumption. Because titanium does not carry heat away, cutting speed stays far below aluminium, so spindle time is longer; and insert life is markedly shorter. What drives the price is less the complexity of the part than these two.
Which titanium alloys do you machine?
Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) is the one we work with most, and it is also about sixty per cent of world titanium use. If you need a different grade, state it with the drawing and we will come back to you on supply and machining.
How tight a tolerance can be held in titanium?
It depends on the geometry, the wall thickness, how the part can be held and which face the dimension is referenced to — quoting a single number from the material alone would be misleading. Send the drawing and we will tell you before production which dimensions will be difficult.
Can you machine thin-walled titanium parts?
Yes, but the fixture and the pass strategy become the real work. On thin walls the problem is not cutting but clamping pressure and the stress released as material is removed. On parts like these the process should be discussed together from the start.
Do you provide inspection reports?
Yes. Inspection is in-house on a COORD3 ARES CMM with a Renishaw PH20 probe. On request the inspection report, material certificate and declaration of conformity are sent with the part.
Send us your technical drawing and quantity; we will prepare your quote with a manufacturability review.
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