Automobile application advantage of titanium is self-evident, can greatly reduce the quality, reduce fuel consumption, improve the work efficiency, improve the environment and reduce the noise, the key is how to can reduce the cost of titanium and its alloy parts to acceptable levels. Studies, such as the traditional production technology, the rolling of titanium products cost is 4.4 USD/kg, according to general experience, each processing step to double the cost, so the material cost is 17.6 USD/kg at least. In rolled products made after final machining parts, its cost is as high as 44 usd/kg. Obviously, with such a titanium steel parts to replace the commonly used corresponding is impossible. However, using powder metallurgy titanium is very different. If the current can get the sponge titanium powder or scrap price is 4.4 ~ 8.8 USD/kg, the net shape and near net shape suppression of billet cost will be lower than USD 4.4 / kg; After the minimum number of machining, connecting rod and other parts of the cost is 8.8 ~ 11 usd/kg. Powder metallurgy can not only adopts the low cost of raw materials, but also can reduce machining cost, especially the net shape and near net shape method is the production size is larger, the price is an effective way to lower auto parts. Visible, powder metallurgy titanium has a strong competitiveness.
Quality than titanium, has high strength, high temperature, high strength, corrosion resistance and thermal stability, and a series of superior performance and wide attention. However, titanium and titanium alloy traditional USES are mainly concentrated in the field of aerospace and Marine industry. Civil titanium’s main restricting factors in the product cost. Titanium powder metallurgy is a completely different from other technology of titanium components production methods, production of powder metallurgy parts, powder instead of titanium sponge; Powder metallurgy can limit waste associated with traditional titanium production, don’t need the vacuum arc remelting, electron beam melting or plasma arc melting; Powder can be any shape or form directly rolling finished product, reducing the required raw materials, spare parts for the a higher output. This process can also be near net shape parts, reduce the waste traditional parts production is usually accompanied by, less process steps, improve the output. Powder metallurgy, however, there are also some problems to be solved and is one of the main pollution control problem, and no pollution will be not suitable for high precision metal parts. High construction standards in the field of aviation makes powder metallurgy titanium alloys in aviation market is faced with many difficulties, but it can be used in the civilian field of structure is not so strict. Among them, the most likely to large scale industry is in the auto industry. Car market is very huge, once the application of titanium in auto industry widely, the amount of titanium will far exceed the aviation and aerospace markets.
Civil titanium application prospect
The powder metallurgy titanium alloys has been used in new type high-performance car, mainly used in the engine system and chassis, as in the engine system using titanium alloy instead of steel alloy and stainless steel valves, valve spring and the connecting rod and other components; The chassis is used primarily as a spring, exhaust systems, half shaft, and all kinds of fasteners, etc. Japan’s Toyota motor company developed a can effectively reduce the cost of powder metallurgy die forging method. Use this method to build cars engine titanium valve can lose weight by 40%. Inlet valve is to use Ti 6 al 4 v alloy by powder metallurgy manufacture forging process, the exhaust valve manufactured by composite material, the composite material is a new kind of alloy powder with boride as enhancer and TiB strengthen the volume fraction of the powder is about 5%; Matrix components in Ti 6 al 4 sn - 4 mo zinc - 1-0.2 - Si - 0.3 O, this kind of composite material has excellent resistance to creep properties.
