High Speed Forging of Titanium Alloy Components with Microstructure Control

MPD Technologies, a joint venture of Ohio small businesses, with support from a Titanium supplier and a forging company, proposes to establish characteristics and requirements for industrial scale up of a new High Speed Forging Process for Titanium alloyTi-6Al-4V. This faster process enables significant cost reduction, enhanced microstructural control, and superior performance in service for forged Ti-6-4 products. Current manufacturing of Ti-6-4 parts involves costly, complex processing sequences.Results of laboratory experimentation on small coupons and components show that the high-speed process can reduce this complexity while achieving desired product properties. In Phase I, MPD will assess feasibility of scaling up the high speed forgingprocess to commercial level closed-die forging of Ti-6-4 components, and will establish, through appropriately designed experiments, relationships among final microstructure and key variables of the thermo-mechanical processing sequence. Phase I willdesign experiments for forgings of intermediate size and low complexity, conduct them on commercial hammer and screw press forging equipment, and evaluate microstructure, macrostructure, and inspection characteristics of the forged workpieces. Phase IIwill design optimized thermo-mechanical process sequences for larger forgings utilizing the knowledge gained in Phase I, will extend the process knowledge base, and will develop an industrial insertion plan. Project success will result in direct benefitsto military and commercial aerospace industries, where Ti-6-4 is widely used in both engine and airframe components because of its attractive light weight, high strength, and corrosion resistance properties. Significant reductions in costs and deliverytime, and quality enhancements achieved by industrial implementation of the new high speed forging process and related processing sequence will benefit the Department of Defense, its suppliers, the commercial aerospace sector, and other commercialapplications of titanium alloy forgings.