A Ti-6Al-7Nb titanium housing is specified when strength has to be delivered at low weight or in a corrosive environment. Below is the practical detail on Ti-6Al-7Nb titanium housing supplied for hydraulics: low speed, high pressure coolant machining of titanium with controlled tool engagement, the tolerance that is held, the finish applied and the documents issued with the parts.
Tolerance is applied where it does work rather than across the whole drawing. Critical features are held to ±0.02 mm, non-critical dimensions follow the general machining tolerance, and the difference is stated in the quotation rather than discovered later.
Specification
| Process | Low speed, high pressure coolant machining of titanium with controlled tool engagement |
|---|---|
| Material / configuration | Ti-6Al-7Nb titanium |
| Size / capacity | 120 × 80 × 30 mm envelope |
| Tolerance | ±0.02 mm |
| Surface finish | as machined, passivated or anodised |
| Application | housing for hydraulics |
| Inspection | Dimensional report, material certificate, first article report on request |
| Lead time | 7–15 working days for samples, 3–4 weeks for production |
| Minimum order | 1 piece for prototypes, from 50 pieces for production pricing |
Manufacturing process
Work is carried out with low speed, high pressure coolant machining of titanium with controlled tool engagement. Tooling, speeds and fixturing are recorded with the part number, so a repeat order starts from a proven process instead of a fresh setup.
Material is purchased against a certificate and checked on receipt, so the composition is known before any cutting starts. Work in progress is identified by part number and operation, and the finished parts are deburred, cleaned and protected before they leave the machine area.
Typical applications
Most of the work supplied in this category falls into the following examples.
- Aircraft structural brackets.
- Orthopaedic implants and instruments.
- Motorsport suspension parts.
- Chemical process fittings.
- Marine hardware.
Quality control and documentation
Critical features are measured on calibrated equipment in a controlled room, and the results are filed with the job so that a repeat order can be compared with the first.
Material certificates to EN 10204 3.1, dimensional reports and first article inspection reports are issued with the shipment where the application requires them. Calibration dates and measurement uncertainty are recorded alongside every result.
Ordering, lead time and packaging
Packaging is specified by the part: individual protection for finished surfaces, separation for assemblies, and export crating with a packing list for shipment.
Frequently asked questions
Why is titanium expensive to machine?
Heat stays in the cutting edge instead of leaving with the chip, so tool life is short and speeds are low. Cutting time per part is several times that of aluminium.
Is material traceability provided?
Yes. Mill certificates with heat numbers are supplied with every batch, and parts can be marked for individual traceability where the industry requires it.
Do you keep tooling and programmes for repeat orders?
Fixtures, tool lists and verified CAM programmes are retained for the life of the part number, so a repeat release runs on the same setup as the first batch without a new proving run.
Drawings are reviewed for manufacturability before quotation, and any feature that adds cost without adding function is pointed out at that stage rather than after the parts are made.
