What is titanium grade 5?

Titanium grade 5, also Ti-6Al-4V or material number 3.7165, is titanium alloyed with about 6 % aluminium and 4 % vanadium. It combines high strength with low density, is non-magnetic and resists corrosion and body fluids well. Typical uses are aerospace brackets, motorsport parts, chemical plant and medical instruments. Implants usually use the ELI variant, grade 23, with lower limits for oxygen and iron.

What does the standard say about titanium grade 5?

Grade 5 and grade 23 are ASTM designations. Bar for general use falls under standards such as ASTM B348; surgical implants are covered by, among others, ASTM F136 for the ELI variant and ISO 5832-3. Aerospace parts often follow their own specifications. The standard named sets the requirements for composition, mechanical properties, testing and certification, so the drawing has to state it. In the ISO 513 classification titanium belongs to material group S.

How does titanium grade 5 behave in the shop?

Titanium conducts heat poorly, so heat stays in the cutting zone, and at high temperature it reacts with the cutting material. That calls for low cutting speeds, generous coolant and sharp edges, and tool life is usually shorter than in steel. Its elastic modulus is about half that of steel, so thin walls and long parts deflect further and chatter sooner. Fine chips and dust can ignite; chip handling and cleaning belong in the route. Medical and aerospace work require a traceable material certificate. Whether machining or material is the larger cost depends on blank size, geometry and quantity.

What is titanium grade 5 often confused with?

Grade 5 is not grade 2, which is commercially pure titanium: softer, easier to form and less strong. Grade 23 differs too: it is the ELI variant specified for implants. Order the grade and the standard the drawing names.