Automotion Components Titanium Screws
What is titanium?
In the context of engineering components, titanium is a strong, durable and lightweight material with applications ranging from the medical industry to the marine industry. Automotion Components can manufacture parts from ASTM B348 grade 2 (commercially pure Ti) and grade 5 titanium (grade 5 titanium is the alloy Ti6Al4V). Grade 2 titanium is more machinable and weldable than grade 5 titanium, which is stronger and has better thermal resistance properties.
Why choose titanium fastenings or components?
Titanium is used in environments that might be subject to chemical corrosion, such as marine applications, or in aerospace, where a high tensile strength to weight ratio is desirable. It is also a popular choice for the medical and chemical industries when stainless steel does not provide adequate protection from corrosion. However, titanium is more expensive than stainless steel.
General Guidance
Advantages of using titanium
- Excellent corrosion resistance
- High strength:weight ratio (especially grade 5)
- Approx 55-60% weight of steel
- Non-magnetic
- Low electrical conductivity
- Good thermal conductivity (especially grade 2)
Grade 2 titanium has outstanding corrosion resistance because when a titanium surface exposed to oxygen in the air, a protective titanium oxide layer is formed. This protective layer is self-healing when the surface is scratched. Grade 2 titanium is therefore highly resistant to corrosion even in chemical environments including oxidising and alkaline media, acids, organic compounds, aqueous salt solutions (such as sea water) and hot gases. Grade 2 titanium is suitable for use at temperatures up to 300 °C before it undergoes phase transition.
Grade 5 titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) has a higher tensile strength and is harder than grade 2 titanium. However, grade 2 titanium has the higher corrosion resistance - although it should be noted that grade 5 titanium is also very corrosion resistant. The same factors that result in grade 2 titanium having better thermal conductivity than grade 5 titanium also mean that grade 5 titanium alloy can withstand much higher temperatures than grade 2 titanium and has a working range of -210 °C to 400 °C (and potentially even up to 600 °C depending on the application). It can also be heat hardened.
Titanium is more expensive than steel, stainless steel and aluminium. This is partly due to the cost of the raw materials and also due to the higher costs entailed in manufacturing. Although titanium parts are high cost, they are also high value-added components because of their light weight, which can have the added benefit of increasing the appliance lifetime. In addition, when used in transporation (e.g. aircrafts), the use of titanium could lead to higher energy savings.
Technical Specs
| Property | Grade 2 (pure titanium) ASTM 348 Gr.2 | Grade 5 Ti-6AL-4V ASTM 348 Gr.5 |
| Density (g/cm3) | 4.5 | 4.4 |
| Tensile strength (N/mm2) | 345 - 450 | 895 - 1100 |
| Yield point (N/mm2) | 270 | 820 |
| Elongation (min %) | 20 | 10 |
| Hardness | 160HB/30 | 36HRC |
| Melting point (°C) | 1668 | 1650 |
| Modulus of elasticity (GPa) | 103 | 110 |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion (/°C) | 8.4 x 10-6 | 8.4 x 10-6 |
| Units for Thermal Conductivity (cal/cm2/sec/°C/cm) | 0.052 | 0.024 |
| Electrical resistance (μΩ - cm) | 55 | 75 |
Applications
A range of our titanium screws in stock...
Other material options are also available - we can manufacture bespoke products for your application.
Cap head captive screw with hex drive in ASTM B348 grade 2 and grade 5 titanium. Captive screws provide added security when used as fastenings because they do not fall out of panels even when loosened. We can manufacture our entire range of captive screws and captive thumb screws in titanium.
Hex head bolts in ASTM B348 grade 2 titanium in stock. ASTM B348 grade 5 titanium alloy available on request - easily manufactured on our fully automated machines. A vented titanium hex head bolt can be produced for your high (and ultra-high) vacuum applications.
Socket button screws in ASTM B348 grade 2 titanium to meet ISO 7380. Also available with TX (hexalobular) drive. Manufactured in grade 5 titanium on request. A vented version of this product in titanium can be produced on request - excellent for ultra-high vacuum applications. Enquire now.
We can make any of our popular shoulder screws or shoulder bolts in titanium on request - the titanium hex drive shoulder screw is already in stock! Shoulder screws are excellent for applications in which precise alignment is essential. For rotating or moving parts, the 'shoulder' also acts as a dowel rod.
