Nickel and titanium alloys
We machine these on request, on a project basis, not from catalogue. The rigid machines in the park can cut them, but we do not present them as routine work until we have the runs to prove it - which is why this group is marked separately on the materials page.
Usual grades
How it behaves at the cutting edge
These alloys resist precisely what machining does: they keep their hardness when hot, conduct heat poorly and work-harden sharply under the edge. They call for low speeds, a firm uninterrupted feed, rigid tooling and through-tool coolant - a pass that merely grazes the surface hardens it and sets up the wear of the next tool. Ti-6Al-4V adds the risk of fine chips igniting and needs good evacuation. They are run as projects, with parameters settled case by case, not as series work.
On request, project-based. Not promoted as current production until experience is confirmed.
What to state on the drawing
Send the part with the quantity and the documentation required on delivery. For these materials, acceptance conditions and traceability weigh as much in the quotation as the geometry does. State the delivery condition of the material and whether you supply it yourself - with these alloys, procurement is often the longest part of the lead time.
What it means for the routing
Inconel 718 work-hardens strongly and sheds heat poorly: it demands rigid tooling, constant feed and passes that do not hesitate. Ti-6Al-4V is softer but springy - it moves away from the tool and comes back, so workholding and rigidity matter more than the cutting parameters. Both need a machine that does not vibrate; that is where it is decided whether the part comes out or not.
Where it is used
- Parts with special material requirements
- High-temperature components
- Parts where strength-to-weight decides
- Projects with extended documentation
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