admin
## Titanium Forming Challenges
Titanium alloys (Ti-6Al-4V is most common) are difficult to form due to:
- High springback (2-3x more than steel)
- Low thermal conductivity (heat builds up at die contact)
- Tendency to gall against die surfaces
- Narrow forming temperature window for hot forming
## Cold Forming of Titanium on Servo Press
Cold forming is limited to simple shapes and thin gauges (below 1.5mm for Ti-6Al-4V).
Servo press advantages for cold titanium forming:
- Slow forming speed (20-40mm/s) reduces heat buildup
- Dwell at BDC (200-500ms) allows stress relaxation, reduces springback
- Precise tonnage monitoring catches material variation
Die requirements:
- Die material: D2 tool steel minimum, carbide preferred
- Die coating: TiN or TiAlN to prevent galling
- Lubrication: chlorinated drawing compound (check environmental regulations)
## Warm Forming of Titanium
Heating titanium to 200-400°C significantly improves formability and reduces springback.
Press requirements:
- Heated die (electric cartridge heaters in die)
- Temperature control: +/-10°C uniformity
- Forming speed: 10-30mm/s (slower at higher temperature)
- Atmosphere control: not required below 500°C
## Springback Compensation
For Ti-6Al-4V, springback is 8-15 degrees on a 90-degree bend. Overbend the die by the expected springback angle. Use servo press dwell at BDC to reduce springback variation.