ITA Applications Conference Introduces New Format
The 14th Annual International Titanium
Conference will be held in Monaco, October 4th through the 8th, 1998.
This year's conference has a new look! This is the first time the conference
has been held in Europe and the first time it will feature both general
sessions and workshops running simultaneously. Ed Speer, Acting Executive Director of
the ITA, is excited about the new format. According to Mr. Speer, conference
attendees will have a choice of attending the general sessions or participating
in workshops. The workshops will feature short presentations, followed by
questions and answers. Mr. Speer hopes that the new workshop format will
encourage more audience participation. A moderator will help guide the
sessions, which will be limited to 60 participants.
The conference will kick off with a
state of the industry discussion by executives from the major titanium
producers. Oremet-Wah Chang's Dr. Carlos Aguirre will discuss "Strategic
Alliances in High Performance Metals."
Topics for both the general sessions
and the workshops include titanium melting, casting, welding, metal matrix
composites, extruded shapes, surface treatment of titanium, titanium in the CPI
and in next-generation aircraft. Other presentations include talks on the use
of titanium in the food industry, military, marine applications, titanium in
aircraft engines and aerospace fasteners, medical implants, and titanium
springs.
Sample of Sessions
On Wednesday, October 7 at 10:30 AM,
Mr. John R Silk, Plymouth Tube Company, will discuss near net extruded shapes.
The use of an extruded shape is a more economical alternative to costly bar and
plate products. The major advantages of near net extrusions are the fact that
they greatly minimize material usage and machining time. In addition, a near
net shape in titanium has no recurring tooling or setup charges. Manufacturing
costs, in some cases, have been reduced by as much as 50%. Custom shapes are
easily made with a proprietary die making process. Near net titanium extrusions
are widely used in the manufacture of military aircraft, but are finding
increasing usage and acceptance for commercial jet aerostructures.
On Tuesday, October 6, 11:00 AM,
Charles Pepka from Renton Coil Spring will discuss titanium springs for
applications where there are weight and volume concerns. He is the current
President of the Spring Manufacturers Institute. A spring made from titanium is
approximately 30% the size of a steel spring. Titanium springs are corrosion
resistant, have a longer cycle time, and are less prone to failure than most
other types of material. Markets for these springs are aerospace, automotive
racing, and space applications, but Mr. Pepka says that there are many other
areas where the titanium springs will offer significant advantages. Computer
design technology allows his company to simulate and optimize the spring
design.
On Tuesday, October 6, 4:00 PM, Susan
Abkowitz of Dynamet Technology Inc. will discuss her company's patented
titanium matrix composites, CermeTi® and DensiTiTM
produced by economical powder metal technology. The main advantages of CermeTi®
are wear resistance, modulus, and elevated temperature strength. The main
advantage of DensiTiTM is its high strength-to-weight ratio. Major
markets for these discontinuously reinforced composites are automotive, high
performance sporting goods, industrial, aerospace and defense applications.
Exhibit Hail and Reception
The High Performance Metals Group of
Allegheny Teledyne Incorporated will be hosting a special reception (Wednesday,
October 7) before the ITA banquet in the spectacular Monte Carlo Sporting Club.
HPMG will also have a booth in the exhibition hall.
For more
information on the conference, contact the ITA at 303-443-7515. We look forward
to seeing you in Monaco!
The 6A1-4V, near net dimension,
titanium extrusion (right hand view is used to manufacture the F018, U.S. Navy
jet, vertical spar section (left hand view). The extrusion represents a
tremendous cost savings in both material and finish machining. Mr John P. Silk
of Plymouth Tube Company will discuss near net extruded shapes October 7 at
10:30 a.m. during the ITA conference (see sample of sessions).
Q&A:
Outlook Editor Kirk Richardson recently
interviewed Dr. Carlos E. Aguirre, President of Allegheny Teledyne Incorporated's
High Performance Metals Group (HPMG) for this issue's Q&A column. During
the conversation, Dr. Aguirre answered questions about the dynamic team of
metals companies that make up HPMG, Oremet-Wah Chang's new International Hearth
Melting subsidiary, and about his upcoming involvement in the International
Titanium Association's Applications Conference. Dr. Aguirre, formerly President
of Oremet Titanium, holds a Ph. D. in Metallurgy from Carnegie Mellon
University.
Question:
How would you describe the new High Performance Metals Group
of Allegheny Teledyne?
Answer: "The Group is the
outgrowth of a vision by
Allegheny Teledyne CEO, Richard Simmons. The idea was to put together several
subsidiary companies that have compatible metals and share markets and
processes.
There are four phases in building the
HPMG. The first is the merger of Oremet with Wah Chang. In this phase we are
integrating the management team and operations. There are several markets and
metal processing operations that are shared between the two companies, which
make this combination work. The second phase is to coordinate the commercial
and manufacturing activities of Oremet-Wah Chang with Allvac. The third phase
is to integrate the marketing strategies of Allvac, Oremet-Wah Chang, Titanium
Industries, and Allegheny Ludlum. The final phase is to expand the distribution
activities of Titanium Industries, including products from all HPMG companies.
Dr. Carlos E. Aguirre, President of
Allegheny Teledyne Incorporated's High Performance Metals Group
The combination of the electron beam
melting facilities of Oremet-Wah Chang with the downstream rolling and
finishing resources of Allegheny Ludlum will make Allegheny Teledyne the
low-cost producer of flat-rolled titanium products. By putting these companies'
operating, technical, and commercial resources together, we have created a High
Performance Metals Group that is second to none."
Question:
How else will customers benefit from a High Performance
Metals Group?
Answer: "Because our various metals -
titanium, zirconium, nickel-based alloys, and the high-end stainless steels -
share the same markets and even the same end users, we can offer a complete
package of solutions for the corrosion protection market. Similarly, in the
aerospace market, we can bundle nickel-based alloys and titanium mill products
in a package that offers more value to our customers.
Dealing with fewer suppliers is a trend
in the industry. We see partnerships or strategic alliances between suppliers
and users creating closer, and improved relationships."
Question:
How do you see international Hearth Melting (IHM), our new
electron beam furnace facility, benefiting HPMG?
Answer: "I feel that the International
Hearth Melting facility is a fundamental component in the development of the
High Performance Metals Group, because it will allow us to have access to
low-cost titanium and zirconium slabs for expanding corrosion resistant,
fiat-rolled products."
IHM is a world-class facility that will
allow us to produce up to 22 million lbs. of ingots, slabs, and electrodes per
year. It is the equivalent of a mini mill. In one step, we can melt and refine
ingots and electrodes and cast a broad range of raw material into near net
shapes, eliminating intermediate production steps. This technology allows great
flexibility and leads to higher productivity (processing as much as 8000 lbs.
per hour), higher yields, reduced cycle times, low processing costs, and
reduced inventory among other benefits."
Question:
How will the IHM facility benefit customers?
Answer: "It will enable us to offer
customers more value. For example, the new facility will allow us to refine the
melt by eliminating high and low density inclusions, making a superior product.
There are other benefits that will get passed on to the customer, such as
better turnaround on delivery and more competitive pricing."
Question:
You will be a featured speaker al the international Titanium
Association's World Conference this October. What will you cover in your ITA
presentation?
Answer: "I plan to discuss the role of
strategic alliances in high performance metals and trends that we are seeing in
the titanium industry. (Dr. Aguirre noted that, during the same session, there
would be presentations on flat-rolled products, Russian and Japanese
activities, applications of titanium in Europe and the United States, and
offshore oil applications.) At the end of the session, I will participate in a
panel discussion answering questions and discussing current trends. I look
forward to meeting with our customers attending the conference. It should be a
memorable event."
IHM Operating World's Largest EB,
Cold-Hearth Furnace
International Hearth Melting (IHM), a
division of Oremet-Wah Chang, is the home of the world's largest Electron beam
cold hearth refining (EBCHR) furnace. Located in Richland, Washington on a
25-acre site, the new facility uses the latest in metal technology and information
systems. Ground breaking for the operation occurred in August 1997 with
construction completed July 1998.
The operation consists of two separate
processes; material processing and electron beam (EB) melting. Each process is
housed in a separate building. IHM's primary products will be commercially pure
and alloyed titanium slabs and ingots. The annual capacity is 22 million lbs.
The material processing system is able
to use a wide variety of titanium recycled material, including heavy plate,
billet, ingot, light gauge plate, turnings, small solids and sponge. An on-site
metallurgical lab provides qualifying analysis. The materials processing
operation will prepare and blend all the revert titanium consumed by the
furnace. Preparing the materials involves fragmentizing, torch cutting, shot
blasting, shearing, washing, blending, fabricating and compacting titanium
revert.
The refining operation boasts the
world's largest EB cold hearth furnace, with eight EB guns providing 5.4
megawatts of power. The furnace melts revert titanium through a cold hearth
refining process, casting up to 8000 lbs. per hour. The cold hearth process
provides the mechanism to eliminate both high-density inclusions, such as
tungsten carbide, and low-density inclusions, such as nitrogen enriched
titanium particles, ensuring defect-free, high quality product at a low cost.
IHM's refining furnace can cast up to
8000 lbs. of metal per hour
The furnace design includes both bar
and loose feed capabilities, allowing IHM to use a large variety of titanium
recycled products. Unlike VAR melting, titanium products melted through the
EBCHR process will be cast into near net shapes, improving end product yields.
The furnace has the capability to cast slabs up to 30 in. x 100 in. (762 mm x
2540 mm) and rounds up to 42 in. (1067 mm) diameter. Ingots and slabs can be
cast up to 200 in. long (5080 mm).
Initial mold sizes include:
30-in.-diameter mold (762 mm)
14-in. x 52-in. slab mold (355 mm x
1320 mm)
26-in. x 54-in. slab mold (660 mm x
1372 mm)
12-in. x 20-in. slab mold (305 mm x 508
mm)
The 26-in. x 54-in. mold provides
customers with rectangular ingots, weighing up to 40,000 lbs. (18,144 kgs).
This product can be supplied directly to rolling mills for converting into
plate and sheet products. The 30-in.-diameter mold will be used to produce both
commercial titanium ingot and in-chemistry titanium alloy for both premium and
standard grade applications. The 12-in. x 20-in. mold will be used primarily to
supply remelt stock to the VAR melt shops, utilizing a variety of input
feedstock.
For more information on IHM's
capabilities, call 509-371-2500 or fax 509-371-2559.
Versatility Makes Titanium Popular in the Chemical Process
Industries
By Te-Lin Yau, Ph.D.
Introduction
Once regarded as
an exotic metal used only in aerospace, titanium is now a household word due to
its widespread use in golf clubs, jewelry and leisure goods. Today, it is a readily
available engineering material with an expanding application base. Titanium's
popularity can be attributed to its several attractive properties, including
competitive cost, availability, corrosion resistance, structural efficiency,
and ease of fabrication.
In addition to the well known aerospace
applications, the popular metal is widely used in corrosive process
environments that include pulp and paper, desulfurization plants,
pharmaceutical, flue gas desulfurization, petrochemical refineries, nuclear
waste storage, and metal extraction equipment.
Titanium can be alloyed to markedly
improve its corrosion resistance and mechanical properties when the environment
exceeds the capability of pure titanium. Alloying with palladium is a common
approach for extending corrosion resistance while alloys of Al and V are common
strengthening agents. Also, technologies, such as powder metallurgy and
superplasticity, have been developed to fabricate titanium into complicated
components.
Table I gives several titanium alloys
and their characteristics commonly used in corrosive environments. When
properly used, these alloys can realize high returns-on-investments due to low
maintenance and replacement costs, improved process efficiency, added value of
quality products, and compliance with safety and environmental protection
requirements. On the other hand, misuses may result in costly mistakes.
Consequently, this article discusses environmental effects on titanium and its
alloys.
Water and Steam
Titanium and its alloys are highly
resistant to water and steam to temperatures up to at least 316°C. They may
acquire a tarnished appearance on their surfaces in hot water or steam due to
the formation of a protective oxide film. This is normal and simply a
thickening of the surface oxide.
Natural waters often contain
contaminants, such as iron and manganese oxides, sulfides, carbonates and
chlorides that do not affect titanium's corrosion resistance. Also,
chlorination treatments used to control sliming and biofouling have no adverse
effects on titanium.
Seawater and Other Salt Solutions
Seawater is a complicated corrosive and
thus a difficult environment for common metals and alloys to withstand.
Frequently encountered corrosion problems include general corrosion, pitting,
stress corrosion cracking and microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) and
erosion.
Titanium resists corrosion by seawater,
regardless of chemistry variations and pollution effects, to temperatures up to
260°C. Titanium's compatibility with seawater makes it a vital material for
equipment exposed to marine environments. Titanium equipment has provided
reliable service for decades in the chemical, oil refining, metallurgical and
desalination industries.
Titanium does not encounter the common
problems like other metals and alloys in seawater. It is practically immune to
pitting, MIC and stress corrosion cracking. However, some high strength
titanium alloys are susceptible to stress corrosion cracking. Titanium can
withstand seawater impingement and flow velocities in excess of 30 m/sec.
Similarly, titanium resists attack by
chloride solutions and other brines over the full concentration range with pH
between 3 and 11. Oxidizing chloride solutions, such as ferric and cupric
chlorides, chlorites, hypochlorites, chlorates, perchlorates and chlorine
dioxide, extend titanium's resistance to lower pH levels.
Titanium is susceptible to crevice
corrosion within tight physical crevices. It is affected by several, often
interacting, factors including temperature, solution chemistry/pH, nature of
the crevice, alloy composition, metal surface condition, and metal potential.
Measures for preventing crevice corrosion on titanium equipment and components, include selection of the
right alloy (e.g., palladium-containing
alloys), noble metal surface treatment,
pickling for smeared surface iron particles, and avoiding incompatible
gaskets/sealants.
Because
of the possibility of hydrogen embrittlement, galvanic corrosion can be a major
concern when titanium is
coupled to a more active metal. Normally, titanium
is the cathode when in contact with common metals,
such as steel and aluminum, and does not corrode,
but the coupling metal experiences accelerated corrosion. The presence of excess
hydrogen generated from the
corroding metal may induce hydrogen embrittlement
in titanium. To avoid galvanic corrosion, it
is important to use two metals that are close in the galvanic series. Other preventative
measures include insulating
joints, coatings and cathodically protecting the anode.
Inorganic Acids
Titanium is regarded as a resistant
metal in oxidizing acids, such as nitric and chromic acids, over a wide range
of concentrations and temperatures. In mildly reducing acids, such as sulfurous
acid, the corrosion resistance is considered fair. However, titanium is rather
poor in strongly reducing acids, such as sulfuric, hydrochloric, hydrobromic
and phosphoric acids.
While titanium is not as corrosion
resistant to nitric acid as zirconium, niobium or tantalum, it is resistant
over a wide range of concentrations at temperatures up to the boiling point. At
boiling and above, titanium's corrosion resistance is very sensitive to nitric
acid purity. Generally, titanium is not corrosion resistant in pure nitric acid
and may be attacked in the vapor of nitric acid where condensates may form. The
higher the metallic ion content of the acid, the better titanium will perform.
In particular, the corrosion of titanium to produce small amounts of titanium
ions will result in the inhibitive effect on titanium's corrosion in nitric
acid. Therefore, titanium's corrosion may decrease rapidly in nitric acid under
a closed system.
Unlike stainless steels, titanium is
uniquely suitable for handling recycled nitric acid. Consequently, titanium has
many commercial applications.
When titanium experiences corrosion
problems in nitric acid, the problems can not be solved by switching to more
resistant titanium alloys, such as Pd-containing alloys. These types of alloys
are useful in improving titanium's resistance in reducing acids but offer no
improvement in oxidizing environments. Moreover, titanium should not be
considered for service in red fuming nitric acid because of the danger of
pyrophoric reactions.
Titanium's usefulness in strongly
reducing pure acids, such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, is limited to low
concentrations at ambient temperature. The resistance decreases rapidly with
increasing temperatures. It improves when the acids contain small amounts of
oxidizing impurities, such as ferric ions or chlorine. For example, the
addition of 2 g/l ferric chloride will reduce the corrosion rate of titanium in
3% HCl at boiling from 14 mm/y to less than 0.01 mm/y. Fortunately, it is
common to have this type of impurity in industrial acids.
Titanium Capo Reactor (photo courtesy
of Ellett Industries)
Titanium has numerous industrial
applications involving reducing acids, such as in the mining industry.
Hydrometallurgical processes employed for the treatment of gold and copper
sulfide ores as well as oxidized nickel ores rely on titanium for corrosion
resistant process equipment. The presence of metal ions and oxygen in solution
is sufficient to passivate titanium in an environment where it would otherwise
actively corrode.
Titanium can have various corrosion
problems in reducing acids, such as crevice corrosion, vapor phase attack or
strong acid concentration. The addition of up to 0.25% palladium to titanium
will significantly improve titanium's resistance in reducing acids.
Traditionally, the palladium content is controlled in the 0.15% range. Still,
this addition adds cost, as the price of palladium powder has fluctuated in the
range of $200 to $350 per troy ounce. Recently, new grades of titanium alloys
have been added by just having 0.05% palladium or 0.1% ruthenium for improved
corrosion resistance with a minimum increase in cost as shown in Table II.
Organic Media
Organic acids normally are mildly
reducing. Titanium shows good corrosion resistance in most organic acids and
other chemicals. It would be vulnerable to corrosion in strong organic acids,
such as formic, oxalic, sulfamic and trichloroacetic acids. Generally, the
presence of oxygen due to aeration and water presence improves titanium's
resistance in organic media.
On the other hand, certain anhydrous
organic media may attack titanium. Without oxygen, it would be difficult for
titanium to maintain its passivity. For example, dry methyl alcohol can cause
stress corrosion cracking in titanium, probably because of the breakdown of
passive film by halides. Once the passive film is broken down, repair is
impossible unless there is oxygen or water. Indeed, the combination of the
absence of water and the presence of halogens or halides is the major reason
why titanium experiences corrosion problems in organic solutions. For example,
adding 1.5% water can suppress titanium's susceptibility to SCC in methyl
alcohol.
Titanium can be susceptible to hydrogen
embrittlement in anhydrous organic environments. Without oxygen or water,
titanium will slowly absorb hydrogen even when the corrosion rate is very low.
Alkalis
Titanium resists most but not all
alkalis. The problem is the excessive hydrogen uptake and eventual
embrittlement of titanium at temperatures above 80°C when the pH is at or above
12. The presence of a strong oxidizer, such as chlorine, makes titanium highly
suitable for processing alkalis. In fact, titanium is a useful structural
material in the dual production of caustic soda and chlorine by an
electrochemical process.
Gases
Titanium has excellent resistance to
air and oxygen at temperatures up to 370°C. Above this temperature but below
450°C, titanium may form colored surface films that thicken slowly with time.
Above 650°C, titanium will become brittle due to poor oxidation resistance.
Scales form rapidly at 930°C. Since the oxidation is an exothermal reaction,
titanium may ignite in pressurized oxygen under a confined condition.
Nitrogen reacts much more slowly with
titanium than oxygen. It reacts with nitrogen to form a gold colored film
starting at 540°C. Above 800°C, excessive diffusion of the nitride will occur
and may cause metal embrittlement. Properly formed nitride layers can enhance
titanium's resistance to abrasives.
The surface oxide film can protect
titanium from absorbing hydrogen at temperatures below 80°C. Absorbing several
hundred ppm of hydrogen results in embrittlement and the possibility of
cracking under stress. The presence of moisture in hydrogen as low as 2% can
effectively reduce hydrogen uptake.
Titanium is resistant to corrosion by
sulfur dioxide and water saturated sulfur dioxide. Water saturated sulfur
dioxide may form the highly corrosive sulfurous acid that does not affect
titanium. This capability allows titanium to be used in various sulfur dioxide
scrubber systems.
Titanium resists attack by wet and dry
hydrogen sulfide, but unlike most metals and alloys, titanium does not become
brittle in wet hydrogen sulfide. In galvanic couples with certain active
metals, such as steel, the presence of hydrogen sulfide in an aqueous solution
will promote hydriding in titanium. Hydrogen can induce embrittlement on many
metals and alloys and titanium is susceptible as well.
Because of its strongly oxidizing
nature, titanium is among the most resistant metals in wet chlorine and other
chlorine chemicals. This has been the primary factor for using titanium in
industrial service. Titanium equipment has been relatively free of corrosion
problems for decades. However, titanium is incompatible with dry chlorine and
may even ignite. As little as 1% water is sufficient for repassivation after
mechanical damage to titanium in chlorine gas under static conditions at room
temperature.
Conclusion
Titanium is now being considered for
many new applications that can utilize its unique combination of corrosion
resistance, strength, and low density. These attributes are key to addressing
the ever more demanding requirements facing design engineers for process
efficiency, environmental compliance and longevity. With an unlimited supply of
raw materials and increasing production capacity, titanium will continue to be
the new solution to many material selection problems.
Dr. Te-Lin Yau is a corrosion
consultant based in Albany, Oregon. Dr. Yau, who headed Wah Chang's corrosion
research effort for many years, has published numerous articles on the
corrosion resistance of materials, including several in Outlook. Dr. Yau can be
reached by phone at 541-926-0398 or by fax at 541-926-6181.
ITA to Hold Melting Technology
Roundtable
Steve Reichman, formerly Vice President
of Technology for Oremet-Wah Chang, and Hal Lindsay, Allvac General Manager of
the Titanium Strategic Business Unit, will participate in a roundtable
discussion at the ITA's Annual Conference held in Monte Carlo. Both Allvac and
Oremet-Wah Chang belong to Allegheny Teledyne's High Performance Metals Group
(HPMG).
The two-hour Melting Technology session
includes a fifteen-minute presentation by four different companies, Oremet-Wah
Chang, Allvac, RMI, and Titanium Hearth Technologies, followed by a question
and answer session. Presenters will discuss their company's approach to hearth
melting titanium along with their company's strengths, capacity, volume,
chemistry control, melt parameters, and unique characteristics. This will allow
an audience of producers, users, and interested parties to learn the
differences in capabilities of the four companies.
Steve Reichman will discuss the start
up of International Hearth Melting (IHM). IHM operates a processing facility
for titanium revert and an electron beam hearth melting and casting furnace for
titanium and other reactive metals. This new electron beam furnace, the largest
of its kind in the world, came on line during the summer of 1998 and should
reach full capacity, 22 million lb. per year, within a couple of years.
Oremet-Wah Chang already has melting capacity utilizing the more conventional
vacuum-arc remelt technology.
IHM produces titanium and zirconium
alloy ingots, electrodes and slabs cast in a high vacuum environment. Mr.
Reichman will describe the furnace, its operation and the advantages of
electron beam, which are high melt rates and the ability to make slabs.
Mr. Lindsay will focus on his company's
plasma hearth melting technology and facilities. Plasma melting produces a
number of difficult-to-melt and highly alloyed grades of titanium. It is
excellent at refining and removing high density inclusions and type I alpha
defects. It produces metal with a high degree of chemical uniformity not
achieved by any other method, while preventing the loss of critical alloying
elements. In late 1997, Allvac announced the commissioning of a new furnace
that would increase its capacity for primary plasma melting by about five
million lbs.
Allegheny Teledyne's HPMG group has
both plasma and electron beam technology available. According to Mr. Reichman,
"We have within the family the most complete flat product capacity in the
world." This makes Allegheny Teledyne the low cost integrated producer.
Allegheny Ludlum How Offers Titanium Products
Effective September. 1, 1998, Allegheny
Ludlum is offering commercially pure (CP) titanium plate, sheet, and strip
products along with assuming responsibility for new orders. By combining
Oremet-Wah Chang's melting expertise with Allegheny Ludlum's world-renowned
processing and finishing capabilities, Allegheny Teledyne is now in a unique
position to become the best source for CP titanium products. To order CP plate,
contact Randy Roberts at 1-800-289-7528. To order CP sheet and strip, call Lori
Perschke at 1-800-258-3586.
Expansion at Rome Metals Surpasses Present Industry
Capabilities
Having completed eight capital projects
in less than a year, Rome Metals is ready to serve its customers with a third
plant in Monaca, Pennsylvania, where the widest (170-in.) vacuum creep
flattener in the world is now operating. Rome's VCF is 100% computer controlled
to maximize operating efficiencies and ensure quality control. The Monaca
facility also installed a double bridge immersion sonic tank, measuring 72 in.
wide by 600 in. long, and a vacuum chuck grinder that can precision belt grind
plates 36 in. wide by 196 in. long to a tolerance of + 0.003 in.
Rome expanded its gantry driven
belt-grinding capacity more than 50% by installing three redesigned machines
that are 40% more efficient than the six units that were already in service.
Rome's Rochester facility was chosen for one machine, while its Zelienople
plant received the other two grinders.
in addition, the Zelienople plant
installed two horizontal band saws that are computerized with programmable job
process outlines. The first has cutting capability of 52 in. wide by 52 in.
high. The other band saw is gantry driven (the only one of its kind to be
installed in the U.S. and is the largest in the world) with capabilities of
cutting 70-in.-wide and 65-in.-high material.
For more information on Rome Metals,
call 724-775-1664 or fax 724-452-4561.
Titanium Industries' ADC builds prototype Ti products
Titanium Industries' Applications and
Development Center (ADC) was established in January 1998 to help customers
develop new products.
Since then, ADC has built prototype
products and has offered technical assistance to numerous clients.
One company came to ADC with a seawater
corrosion problem. The company had been using stainless steel snap rings over
stainless steel piping for an underwater application. "They wanted to
convert the system to all titanium, but could not locate anyone who could
manufacture the snap rings," according to Pete Philippon of Titanium
Industries. "The parts are normally stamped in large quantities. If they
kept them in stainless, they were concerned with galvanic corrosion." ADC
proposed machining the small parts in titanium and treating them as a short-run
production quantity using N.C. milling machines. This was the most cost
effective solution for the customers," says Philippon.
Another company came to ADC with a
challenge involving orthopedic implants. The company was making 0.020-in.-thick
stainless steel implants set in place with titanium screws. "They were
concerned with galvanic corrosion," says Philippon, "but were having
difficulty making thin titanium corner welds.
Zr-705 shafts and wear rings produced
by ADC for a chemical processing application
They either distorted or did not have
full penetration." ADC worked with the company to develop a procedure
involving a purge fixture and clamping device better suited for the implants.
In addition to meeting customer
challenges, ADC has worked on a number of prototypes including military pump
arm assemblies, pillboxes, and louvers. One of the Navy's driving forces for
evaluating alternative materials in the new classes of ships is reducing
topside weight. Titanium is being considered because of its reliability and its
low life-cycle costs. One of ADC's designs of a component using titanium over
carbon steel with the same thickness produced a 43% weight savings. The Navy is
seriously studying this option.
As the projects described above
demonstrate, Titanium Industries' ADC has the resources to solve unique
materials problems. For more information about ADC's capabilities, phone
904-288-0098 or fax 904-288-0097.
