Titanium alloy development

Over the last decade, the focus of titanium alloy development has shifted from aerospace to industrial applications. The titanium industry has been very dependent on the aerospace market, and this sector will constitute a significant percentage of total consumption for years to come. However, titanium is increasingly being selected for industrial products as a result of value analyses based on life cycle cost rather than initial price. This shift in development emphasis is not unique to Timet, and efforts to diversify titanium usage are evident throughout the industry. Today, very little producer-industry research is aimed at fundamentally new alloys. Strategy is centered on developing or improving manufacturing processes that offer new product forms, or more cost-effective products. The goal is to expand current non-aerospace markets, or penetrate new ones. This article reviews developments in the various market sectors, together with the future thrust of research.