Gr. 5 titanium alloy is widely used in aerospace, automobiles, energy, medical and other fields due to its low density, excellent corrosion resistance, crack propagation resistance, high fatigue strength, weldability, biocompatibility and other properties. However, it is difficult to obtain good processing results for Gr. 5 titanium alloy materials through traditional mechanical processing methods, so special processing technology is required.
Titanium has active chemical properties and begins to absorb hydrogen when heated to about 250°C; when the temperature reaches 600°C, it rapidly oxidizes, nitrides and absorbs hydrogen. When the temperature is higher than 1000℃, it combines with carbonization. Therefore, flame cutting is generally not suitable for cutting titanium materials. Shearing, laser, plasma and water cutting are currently commonly used to cut titanium plates. Due to limitations of existing laser technology, most laser cutting equipment cannot cut metal plates thicker than 12mm. Titanium plates cut with a shearing machine are easy to deform, but not easy to straighten. For titanium plates with a thickness greater than 12mm, most domestic companies use plasma cutting. However, since plasma cutting is a melting cutting method, the cutting process will cause a large amount of hydrogen absorption and carbonization in the heat-affected zone of titanium, resulting in the deterioration of titanium’s performance.
Water cutting
Water cutting, that is, high-pressure water jet cutting technology, pressurizes water to more than 400MPa, and then sprays it through a tiny nozzle to produce a water jet with a flow rate of about three times the speed of sound. This high-speed and dense water jet is used for cutting.
It is also possible to mix abrasive particles into the water jet, form an abrasive jet through the mixing tube, and cut with the abrasive jet in a cold state. Water cutting technology has the following advantages:
Compared with other cutting methods, water cutting technology shows outstanding advantages. Water cutting technology is a cold processing method with the characteristics of low workpiece temperature, no heat affected zone, and no thermal deformation during cutting.
- Wide cutting range It can cut most materials, not only various non-metallic materials, but also various high-hardness materials, such as titanium alloys, ceramics, glass, composite materials, etc.
- Good cutting quality. The incision is smooth, the cutting precision is high, and no rough burr edges are produced. There is generally no need for subsequent finishing, which reduces processing costs.
- Non-heat affected zone Since the heat generated during the processing is very small, it will not cause heat-affected zones, delamination and material changes. It is an ideal cutting method for titanium alloys that are easily affected by high temperatures and cause material deterioration.
- Environmentally friendly. It is dust-free, odorless, non-toxic, no sparks, small vibration and low noise when cutting. The operating environment is clean and safe. These features make it particularly suitable for hazardous environments with explosion-proof requirements.
- Save production costs and time. One nozzle can process different types of materials and shapes without changing tools; the workpiece does not require complicated clamping, so the number of adjustments can be reduced. Multiple nozzles can be configured for cutting, and the workpiece can be directly cut into specified sizes, eliminating intermediate processes and auxiliary time, and improving production efficiency.
- Improve material utilization. The slits are narrow, which reduces waste.
- Good adaptability. Cutting can start from any point on the workpiece and proceed in any direction without being restricted by the cutting direction. It can process parts that are difficult to process with conventional processes and realize multi-variety and small-batch production of complex-shaped parts. It can be combined with other equipment such as drill bits to complete drilling and cutting functions on the same machine to give full play to its performance.
Titanium materials are generally cut using a high-pressure water jet cutting method with added abrasives. Experiments show that water cutting has fast speed, high precision, and the incision width is only 2.3mm, which improves material utilization. The cutting surface roughness is only 20 ~ 40 μm; the processed workpiece has few burrs, and the burr height is less than 0.1mm. More importantly, after titanium is water-cut, its microstructure changes little, and its mechanical and physical and chemical properties remain basically unchanged. . Precautions for laser cutting titanium alloy Laser cutting of titanium alloy plates is a common processing method and has wide applications in many fields.
However, due to the special properties of titanium alloys, the following points need to be noted during the laser cutting process:
1) Choose appropriate laser cutting equipment. Titanium alloy has the characteristics of high strength, high hardness and high melting point, and requires the use of high-power laser cutting equipment to effectively process it.
2) Titanium alloy is easily oxidized, and the surface clarity needs to be maintained during processing. The surface needs to be cleaned before cutting to prevent impurities in the air from entering the cutting area, and at the same time, use inert gas (such as nitrogen or argon) to protect the cutting area.
3) Control cutting speed and power. Titanium alloy has a high melting point and requires high cutting speed and power to allow the laser to fully penetrate and cut the material. However, too high speed and power can cause material deformation or cracks.
4) Avoid burrs and heat-affected zones. When laser cutting titanium alloy, burrs and heat-affected zones are prone to occur, especially when the cutting thickness exceeds 3 mm. To avoid this, nitrogen or inert gas can be used to purge the cutting area to reduce thermal effects.
5) Safe operation. Laser cutting equipment needs to be operated safely to avoid laser damage to human eyes, and must comply with safety standards such as ventilation and protection. Laser cutting of titanium alloy is an efficient and precise processing method, but it requires careful attention and operating specifications to take full advantage of its advantages and avoid problems.
Common processes and precautions in cutting Gr. 5 titanium plates
(1) If semi-automatic cutting is performed, the guide rail should be placed on the flat surface of the titanium plate, and then the cutting machine should be placed on the guide rail. Note that the order cannot be reversed.
(2) The cutting parameters must be appropriate and should be reasonably determined based on the thickness of the titanium plate, etc., in order to obtain good cutting results.
(3) Check whether the cutting nozzle air is smooth. If there is any blockage, clear it in time.
(4) Before cutting the titanium plate, the surface should be cleaned and a certain space should be left, which can facilitate the blowing out of the slag.
(5) The distance between the cutting nozzle and the surface of the titanium plate should be appropriate. Too close or too far is not good.
(6) The titanium plate must be sufficiently preheated to avoid affecting the cutting process.
(7) If workpieces of different sizes are cut, small pieces should be cut first and then large pieces.
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