Titanium sponge is a porous, light gray granular material and a fundamental component of the titanium industry. It is the raw material for titanium materials, titanium powder, and other titanium components. The process from titanium sponge to finished titanium products involves a series of steps.
Sponge titanium cannot be used directly; it must be smelted. The traditional smelting method involves two to three refining processes in a vacuum arc remelting furnace (VAR) to remove gases and impurities, resulting in a dense, cylindrical titanium ingot. This ingot is then forged into slabs. The ingot is heated above its phase transformation point and forged under heavy impact in a forging machine, gradually pressing it into a rectangular slab. This process is crucial for titanium to acquire its fundamental mechanical properties.
The slab needs to be reheated in the furnace for hot rolling. After multiple passes of roughing and finishing rolling, the thickness of the slab is significantly reduced, and hot-rolled titanium plates that meet dimensional tolerances are produced according to customer requirements.
1. If the final product is medium-thick plate (such as shipbuilding plates or structural steel, typically 6mm or thicker), then after hot rolling, straightening, and cooling, it becomes the finished product (hot-rolled plate/coil).
2. If the final product is a thinner plate or strip (such as automotive panels or electronic product casings), the thickness after hot rolling is usually around 2-6mm, which is not yet considered a final product and needs to proceed to the next step of cold rolling (cold-rolled plate/coil).
The surface of the hot-rolled titanium sheet is covered with a black oxide scale. The sheet is then subjected to water milling; under the pressure of water and abrasive media, the oxide scale is physically removed, revealing the uniform silvery-white luster of the titanium metal. This process ensures that the sheet surface is free of microcracks and inclusions, providing a clean substrate for subsequent processing.
After flaw detection and surface inspection, the titanium plates are cut into the required blanks using water jet cutting according to the customer's drawings. Finally, these blanks enter the machining center for further refinement and processing into the final finished products.
Qinhao Metal is a titanium material factory integrating production and processing. From sponge titanium to the final product, everything is traceable, ensuring quality. We have a large inventory of stock available for bulk purchase, partial cutting, and custom processing according to drawings. Inquiries are welcome.