Abstract
Near net shape (NNS) manufacturing offers an alternative to conventional processes for the manufacture of titanium alloy components. Compared to the conventional routes, which typically require extensive material removal of forged billets, NNS methods offer more efficient material usage and can significantly reduce machining requirements. Furthermore, NNS manufacturing processes offer benefits such as greater flexibility and reduced costs compared to conventional methods. Processes such as metal additive manufacturing (AM) have started to be adopted in niche applications, most notably for the manufacture of medical implants, where many conventionally forged components have been replaced by those manufactured by AM processes. However, for more widespread adoption of these emerging processes, an improvement in the confidence in the techniques by manufacturers is necessary. This requires addressing challenges such as the limited mechanical properties of parts in their as-built condition compared to wrought products and the post-process machining requirements of components manufactured by these routes. In this review, processes which use a powder or wire feedstock are evaluated to assess their capabilities for the manufacture of titanium alloy components. These processes include powder bed fusion and direct energy deposition metal additive processes as well as hybrid routes, which combine powder metallurgy with thermomechanical post-processing.
Highlights
Conventional process routes for manufacturing titanium alloy components in the dominant aerospace sector typically involve extensive subtractive machining of forged billets
This review summarises the state of the art of emerging near net shape (NNS) manufacturing processes which are suitable for the production of titanium alloy components
Selective Electron Beam Melting In selective electron beam melting (SEBM), the laser beam energy source that is used for selective laser melting (SLM) is replaced by that of an electron beam [54]
Summary
Conventional process routes for manufacturing titanium alloy components in the dominant aerospace sector typically involve extensive subtractive machining of forged billets It is not uncommon for machining processes to remove 80–90% of the forging to achieve the final part dimensions, contributing up to 60% of a component’s manufacturing cost [1]. Hybrid processing routes involve thermomechanical post processing of parts manufactured by NNS methods to enhance the mechanical properties of the part The development of these types of processes has been motivated by the need to improve the mechanical properties of NNS components in their as-built condition, which is typically inferior to forged material and makes these components unsuitable for structurally critical applications [18]. Novel hybrid processes which use a post-process hot forging step to enhance the mechanical properties of parts produced by AM and solid state routes have been reviewed to highlight their potential for manufacturing structurally critical components
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