Manufacturing advantages of superplastically formed fine-grain Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Superplastic forming (SPF) of Ti-6Al-4V has traditionally been performed at 900 °C. Although SPF equipment and dies have been developed to withstand this high temperature, their life is limited and maintenance is high. In addition, the formed sheets need chemical milling after processing to remove a significant layer of alpha case, and parts require hand polishing due to a rough die surface caused by high temperature oxidation. The recent development of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy with a grain size of around 1 μm has led to the possibility of superplastic forming at a much lower temperature than regular Ti-6Al-4V. In addition, the forming speed can be increased. This work looks at some of the SPF attributes of fine-grain titanium, in particular, the optimum forming temperature, the thinning characteristics, alpha case formation, and forming speeds. The authors also address manufacturing advantages, such as die life, equipment needs, and operator comfort. Some prototype and preproduction aircraft components on Boeing airplanes are presented. The results show that the new fine-grain material could significantly lower the cost of SPF Ti-6Al-4V part production for the aerospace industry. This paper was presented at the International Symposium on Superplasticity and Superplastic Forming, sponsored by the Manufacturing Critical Sector at the ASM International AeroMat 2004 Conference and Exposition, June 8–9, 2004, in Seattle, WA. The symposium was organized by Daniel G. Sanders, The Boeing Company.