PFI-TT: Enabling Affordable Titanium Foil and Sheet by Machining-Based Deformation Processing

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is to develop a highly-efficient manufacturing process for production of lightweight titanium alloy in thin gauge formats. Conventional multistage flat and pack rolling processes for titanium, although mature and large-scale, are highly energy-intensive, with large emissions, and costly infrastructure. This project will produce sheet, foil and wire formats in a single step, with novel mechanical property combinations of higher strength and formability not achievable by current sheet rolling processes. The property combinations are expected to enable improved structural performance and lightweight materials for the aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors. The machining-based processing will provide a sustainable manufacturing system for sheet, foil and wire from a range of commercial lightweight alloys such as titanium, aluminum and magnesium. Importantly, the new process requires lower energy ( 50% reduction) and compact infrastructure compared to current rolling facilities. The Partnership will also contribute to broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in innovation, and positively impact engineering education.The proposed project will provide a new energy-efficient process alternative to current multistage rolling processes characterized by large energy usage and emissions, and high cost. To realize this goal, the project will address three objectives. First, hybrid-machining process parameters will be optimized by systematic study of how deformation plasticity conditions influence sheet-metal structure and properties. Second, process attributes will be characterized in terms of product quality (surface finish, properties), process energy, and production rate and cost. Last, by integrating the results, a systems framework will be defined in a pre-commercial production process for titanium and titanium alloy foil/sheet formats. The manufacturing benefits will be quantified in terms of process energy savings, material property enhancements, production cost, and applicability to varied material systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.