Why the machining of titanium is hard?

Get expert answers to your questions in Titanium Alloys, Machining, Machine Design and Metallurgical Engineering and more on ResearchGate, the professional network for scientists. read more

2) It is a poor conductor of heat (for a metal). You pretty much MUST use flood coolant when machining titanium. Because the heat does not dissipate very well throughout the metal, the heat tends to stay at the locus of the cut -- and go into the tool -- and wear it out. read more

In addition, a relatively low Young’s modulus of titanium alloys leads to spring-back and chatter leading to poor surface quality of the finished product. Finally, during turning and drilling, long continuous chips are produced; causing their entanglement with the cutting tool and making automated machining near impossible. read more

Titanium isn't that hard to machine on machines that are sufficiently rigid. Using carbide cutters, solid workpiece clamping, correct feed, speed, and depth of cut, ti cuts like frozen butter. The nickel based alloys like Inconel, Hastelloy and Waspaloy are tougher still to machine and wear out tools faster. read more