Titanium and its alloys play an important role in engineering and manufacturing. However, the forging and heating temperature of titanium and its alloys is usually higher than that of other metals, which requires special heat treatment techniques and large investments in heat treatment equipment.
Due to the small thermal diffusivity of titanium and its alloys, forgings with a high aspect ratio (e.g. thin walls and ribs) and large forgings require more time for heating and longer exposure time for homogenization and recrystallization.
Forging titanium requires elevated temperatures that range between 930 ℃ to 1050 ℃ (1700 to 1920 °F) and it is important to maintain uniform temperatures within the work piece, to prevent cracking or other defects.
Due to the poor thermal conductivity of titanium and its alloys, preheating is necessary before hot forging. The preheating temperature generally ranges from 600 to 700 °C (1112 to 1292 °F).
During forging, titanium and its alloys are heated and forced between the die edges to cause recrystallization, which results in a homogeneous microstructure. This process is difficult and expensive due to the high temperature requirements. Workpiece heterogeneous heating can cause quality problems.
Therefore, it is important to choose the appropriate hot forging temperature for titanium and its alloys. Generally, the equilibrium forging temperature should not be lower than 930 °C (1700 °F). If it is lower, the recrystallization of titanium and its alloy grain structure will be incomplete, and the grain size will be large, the surface of the workpiece will be rough, and the performance of the workpiece will not meet the standard requirements.
Therefore, the hot forging temperature should be controlled between 930 - 1050°C (1700 - 1920°F). The upper limit temperature range can be adjusted based on specific applications and material properties. During hot forging process, the temperature should be monitored and controlled in order to maintain a uniform temperature in the workpiece and ensure the quality of the forged product.
In summary, the hot forging temperature of titanium and its alloys should range between 930 - 1050 °C(1700 - 1920 °F). Proper control of temperature and uniformity of workpiece temperature is essential for an effective hot forging process. Regular monitoring can also help to achieve the desired quality of the forged product.
