| Titanium alloys are widely used in the engineering field, namely in the aerospace, automotive and biomedical parts, because of their high specific strength and exceptional corrosion resistance. However, the machinability of titanium alloys is difficult due to their low thermal conductivity and elastic modulus, high hardness at elevated temperature, and high chemical reactivity. This article reviews the state of the art of machinability of titanium alloys, and focuses on the analysis of the process details, namely the especial techniques for cutting improvement, machining forces, chip formation and cutting temperature. The influence of titanium properties on the machinability is also highlighted. Particular attention is given to the turning process of Ti- 6Al-4V alloy. The conclusions presented at the end highlight some current trends, disagreement, and research needs. |
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