Short-Flow Rolling Process and Heat Treatment of Seamless Titanium Alloy Tube

Abstract

In view of the material characteristics of titanium alloys, such as their capability to quickly cool down and their poor machinability, in this study, we combined a new production mode for seamless tube rolling (tandem skew rolling, TSR) with titanium alloy materials and conducted systematic research. The most suitable parameters for titanium alloy rolling were determined from the unit parameters using finite-element software and an analysis of the changing laws of stress-strain, temperature, speed and tension during the rolling process. A rolling experiment was completed in the tandem skew rolling unit. Seamless titanium alloy (TC4ELI) tubes with uniform wall thickness were successfully produced and a metallurgical heat-treatment experiment was carried out. The results show that the seamless titanium alloy tubes prepared using the TSR process have a high degree of dimensional precision (the outer diameter is approximately 38.7 mm, the wall thickness is approximately 3.9 mm and the axial extension is 2.9 times) and the tube after heat treatment still presented a basketweave structure. Furthermore, the hardness level of the seamless titanium alloy tubes was improved. It can be concluded that the TSR process with a short flow is suitable for the mass production of seamless titanium alloy tubes.