Cost-effective Production of Powder Metallurgy Titanium Components

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Cost-effective Production of Powder Metallurgy Titanium

Components STCU-NATO Workshop

11-12 October 2006

Kyiv

Prof. Orest IvasishinTel: (044)-424-22-10

E-mail: [email protected] Institute for Metal Physics

Kyiv

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Talk outline

1. What is needed in the market?2. Brief technology description3. Stage of development4. Who needs it & how many will they need?5. What is my unique technology advantage?6. Competitive matrix7. How will I beat the competition?8. Opportunity for joint work

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Problem Description & Market Need

Titanium alloys are attractive construction materials to use in aerospace, automotive and other industries due to:• high strength• low density• good corrosion resistance

But: Wider application of these materials is limited by their relative high cost: $15/kg (titanium sponge), up to $150-200/kg (components)

The main trend in titanium materials science is to expand application of titanium alloys by development of new technologies that provide significant cost reduction

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Problem Description & Market Need

Titanium in Ukraine: - significant deposits of raw materials;- well developed titanium industry (sponge and ingot production);- users of titanium products (aerospace industry)

Titanium is one of the Ukraine`s priorities!

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Brief Technology Description

Blended elemental powder metallurgy approach is potentially the lowest-cost process, especially if additional working operations (HIP or hot deformation) can be avoided.

Powder metallurgy enables significant reduction in the cost

Blended Elemental Blended Elemental (BE)(BE)

Powder Blending

Ti, Alloying Elements Powders

Powder Blend

BE Compact

Heat Treat

Low Porous PartLow Porous Part

Densification

PartPart

HIPHIP

Up to 90%Up to 90%

95%95%

99+%99+%

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Experimental Results

Sintered densities of TiH2 blends:

- higher than in equivalent Ti-based blends

- do not noticeably depend on molding pressure

300 400 500 600 700 800 900 100095

96

97

98

99

100

Rel

ativ

e de

nsity

,%

Molding pressure, MPa

TiH2

Ti

99%

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Hydrogenated Titanium: Physical Background

• Specific mechanism of compaction optimized green porosity

• Shear type phase transformation TiH2Ti ( or ) high density of crystal lattice defects

• Surface oxide self reducing by atomic hydrogen

- faster sintering - higher sintered density - lower impurity content

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Mechanical Properties (Ti-6Al-4V Composition)

Base powder

Alloying powder

YS, MPa

UTS, MPa

Elong. %

RA, %

Oxygen content, %

TiH2 Al-V master alloy

850-930

960-990

10-12.5

23-29

0.11-0.25

ASM standard

(ingot material)

828 897 10 20

0.20

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Cost-Effective Production of Hydrogenated Titanium

Powder

MgCl

2

TiCl

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Reduction Vacuum separation Hydrogenation

VacuumHydrogen

Argon

Production in Ukraine: Zaporozhje Titanium&Magnesium Plant

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Cost-Effectiveness

Integrated production process (in one reactor)

Shortened time of vacuum separation

Energy consumption and labor can be reduced by 12-35%

Proposed process : cost of powder Proposed process : cost of powder 0.90.9 S (S – cost of titanium S (S – cost of titanium sponge)sponge)

Conventional process : cost of powder Conventional process : cost of powder 22 S S

Powder productionPowder production

Part Part manufacturingmanufacturing

Proposed PM technology: cost of parts 1.4-2 S (per kg)

Conventional PM approach(CHIP): cost of parts 5-10 S

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Advantages

• Innovative approach

• Cost-effectiveness

• High mechanical properties

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Stage of Development

• Patented in Ukraine (Patents ## 65654 and 70366) and USA (US Patent No 6638336B1)

• Prototypes (automotive connecting rods) available for testing

• STCU – IPP partner project (P-143) aimed on development of high-volume commercial application

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Targeted Market Segment

• Automotive industry (connecting rods, valves, etc.)World production per year : 53 million vehicles 212 million conrods

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Automotive Components produced Using Hydrogenated

Powder

1. connected rod with big end cap

2. saddles of inlet and exhaust valves

3. valve spring plate

4. distribution shaft driving pulley

5. strap tension gear roller

6. screw nut

7. fuel pump filter

8. embedding filter

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Targeted Market Segment

- Aerospace industry (components for non-critical application)

- Medical applications, etc.

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Competition

- expensive starting powders with low impurity content

- more complicated processing (including HIP)

high cost

1. Other titanium PM technologies(CHIP)

2. Ingot metallurgy

- multistep manufacturing

- low material yield high cost

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Competitive MatrixImportant product or technology

characteristics

Proposed

PM approach

(TiH2)

Conventional PM approach

(CHIP)

Ingot approach

Starting materials

Cost effective hydrogenated titanium or scrap

High-pure (expensive!) titanium powders

VAR or EBM ingot

Technological operations

Compaction of powders, sintering

Compaction of powders, sintering, HIP or hot deformation

Melting, hot deformation, heat treatment

Mechanical properties

(Ti-6Al-4V)

UTS: 960-990 MPa;

El. 10-12%

UTS: 900-1000 MPa;

El. 10-13%UTS 896 MPa;

El. 10%

Cost 1.4-2 S 5- 10 S 5-13 S

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OpportunitiesPurpose: application of developed technology in

automotive, aerospace and medical industries

Potential customers:- automotive companies GM, Ford- Antonov, Boeing- dental companies (not defined yet)

Partnership: - Zaporozhye Titanium&Magnesium Plant – producer of powders; - ADMA Products, Inc. (USA) –producer of titanium PM parts

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Contact information

Prof. Orest Ivasishin

Tel: +380-44-424-22-10

E-mail: [email protected]

Institute for Metal Physics

Kyiv