How To Cut Titanium Sheet Metal
Content Menu
● Additional Techniques and Comparisons
● Q&A
Introduction
Titanium sheet metal shows up a lot in tough jobs across aerospace, medical implants, and high-performance automotive parts. It holds strong under stress while staying light, fights off corrosion well, and handles heat without breaking down. Jet engine components often rely on it for that mix of strength and low weight. Medical screws and plates use it because it works safely inside the body without reactions.
Cutting it takes more care than steel or aluminum. Heat doesn’t move through titanium quickly, so it builds up fast and can harden the material or cause cracks. Edges might oxidize and turn brittle if air gets in during hot processes.
Shops usually start with cold methods for simple straight lines on thinner sheets. For detailed shapes or thicker material, they switch to lasers or waterjets. A typical aerospace part might get rough-cut blanks from shearing a 4mm Ti-6Al-4V sheet, then finished with laser for tight tolerances on mounting holes. Medical device makers prefer waterjet to keep everything clean and free of heat damage.
Sheets come in thicknesses from thin foils around 0.5mm up to plates over 10mm. Pure grades cut easier than alloys like Ti-6Al-4V, which fight back more due to added strength. Wrong choices lead to rough edges, burrs, or wasted stock. Get it right, and you save material and time.
One fabrication team I heard about cut rejection rates way down after moving to waterjet for 6mm panels. Parameters matter—gas choices in lasers, pressure in waterjets, blade gaps in shearing. Match the process to thickness, shape needs, and finish requirements
Mechanical Shearing
Fundamentals of Shearing Titanium
Many shops begin with mechanical shearing for straight cuts on sheets up to around 10-12mm thick. It stays cold, so no heat issues like hardening or discoloration. The machine works like a big guillotine—an upper blade drops down against a fixed lower one.
On 1-4mm commercially pure titanium, regular shears handle it fine. For example, cutting blanks from 3mm Grade 2 sheet for panel skins gives straight edges with little cleanup needed if blades stay sharp. Ti-6Al-4V needs hydraulic power for thicker cuts to avoid blade damage.
Tips from Experience and Examples
Blade clearance stands out as key. Set it too tight and you risk cracks; too wide and burrs form. Around 6-8% of thickness works for most 5mm Ti-6Al-4V. One prototype shop sheared 8mm alloy into strips quickly, beating saw times.
Thin foils down to 0.8mm cut nicely with aviation snips in careful hands—no distortion. Medical suppliers shear strips from 1.5mm sheet as starting stock for further forming.
Straight lines only here—no curves or internals. Light deburring after fixes any minor edge issues.
Maintenance and Safety Notes
Keep blades sharp—dull ones demand more force and distort material. Gloves help with sharp edges post-cut.
Bandsawing Titanium Sheets
Choosing Bandsaw for Thicker Work
Bandsaws step in when sheets get thicker or need rough shaping beyond straight lines. Carbide blades manage the hardness on material up to 40-50mm in capable setups.
For instance, sawing 12mm Ti-6Al-4V into oversized blanks for machining allowances. Coolant floods keep heat down and prevent gumming.
Abrasive wheels on chop saws handle quick perpendicular cuts. Bike frame builders use them on 4mm sections for clean breaks at low speeds.
Effective Parameters
Run blades slow, 40-80 surface meters per minute, with steady pressure. Coolant extends life significantly.
Secure clamping stops vibration and wandering cuts.
Laser Cutting Titanium
Advantages of Laser for Detail Work
Fiber lasers changed how shops handle complex contours in titanium. The beam melts and ejects material precisely, with assist gas clearing the path.
Ti-6Al-4V responds well to fiber sources because of better wavelength absorption. Powers from 2-6 kW cover most sheet thicknesses.
Parameter Settings and Real Applications
Balance power, speed, and gas. Inert argon or nitrogen keeps edges from oxidizing—oxygen makes them brittle.
Studies on 1mm Ti-6Al-4V with 2kW fiber and argon showed dross-free cuts at optimal speeds. Aerospace brackets get intricate lightening holes this way.
Medical prototypes from 2mm sheet use pulsed modes for extra fine finishes.
Higher power penetrates thicker sheets; slower passes improve quality.
Common Issues and Fixes
Heat zones can harden material slightly. Pulsing or high gas flow reduces it. Minor sanding cleans up for critical fits.
Abrasive Waterjet Cutting
Benefits of Cold Abrasive Jet
Waterjet with garnet abrasive cuts without any heat—perfect for avoiding changes in material properties. No oxidation, no hardening.
Handles sheets from 1mm to over 50mm effectively.
Marine fittings from 10mm titanium come out precise with no warping.
Operating Parameters and Cases
Pressures 350-600 MPa, abrasive rates 0.3-0.6 kg/min. For 6mm alloy, 120-180 mm/min gives good speed and finish.
Defense suppliers nest multiple components to cut waste.
Tilting nozzles minimize taper on thicker cuts.
Trade-offs
Great for stacking or heat-sensitive stacks. Slower than laser, abrasive adds cost.
Plasma Cutting Titanium
Application for Thicker Material
Plasma suits heavier plates, 10-25mm, where speed matters over finest finish. Ionized gas melts through.
Argon-hydrogen mixes clean up cuts on structural pieces.
Edges rougher, more cleanup needed than laser.
Additional Techniques and Comparisons
Punching works for holes in thinner sheets. EDM for extreme precision, but slow.
Shearing quickest for blanks, laser for contours, waterjet for no-heat needs.
General Best Practices
Sharp tools, cooling where possible, firm fixturing. Test scraps first.
Safety first—protect eyes, ventilate any fumes.
Conclusion
Working titanium sheet requires understanding its quirks, but the options available make reliable results straightforward. Cold shearing or waterjet preserve properties fully, while laser delivers speed and detail for most production runs.
Aerospace gains lightweight optimized structures; medical gets biocompatible finishes. Future setups might combine rough waterjet with laser cleanup for efficiency.
Pick methods carefully, tune parameters, and document outcomes—consistent quality follows. Shops that invest time here produce stronger, longer-lasting parts with less waste.
Q&A
Q1: Which process works best for complex shapes in 2mm titanium sheet?
A1: Fiber laser with inert gas for tight kerfs and smooth edges.
Q2: How to prevent edge oxidation in thermal cutting?
A2: Switch to inert assist gas or choose cold processes like waterjet.
Q3: Can I shear Ti-6Al-4V up to 8mm thick?
A3: Yes, hydraulic shears with correct clearance handle it for straight cuts.
Q4: Starting parameters for waterjet on 5mm Ti-6Al-4V?
A4: Around 450 MPa, 0.4 kg/min garnet, 150 mm/min traverse.
Q5: Difference in tool life between bandsaw and laser on titanium?
A5: Laser has no wear on “tool,” bandsaw blades need frequent change even with coolant.