Ti-6Al-4V properties
The alpha-beta titanium alloy that makes up most of the titanium in industrial use, with 6 % aluminium and 4 % vanadium. It's as strong as a medium-strength steel at roughly 56 % of the weight, and for practical purposes it does not corrode.
- TypeAlpha-beta titanium alloy, Grade 5. Heat treatable, not weldable without inert shielding
- StandardsASTM B348 bar · ASTM B265 sheet · AMS 4928 · UNS R56400 · JIS H4650 Class 60 · EN 3.7165
- Density4.43 g/cm³, which is 56 % of steel and 64 % heavier than aluminium
- Tensile895 MPa minimum annealed to ASTM B348
- Yield828 MPa minimum annealed, in the range of a quenched and tempered alloy steel
- HardnessAround 334 HB, roughly 36 HRC, in the annealed condition
- ConductivityAbout 6.7 W/m·K, around a fifteenth of aluminium. The heat stays in the cutting edge
- CorrosionExcellent in seawater, chlorides, most acids and body fluids. Often this is why it gets specified
- Grade 23Ti-6Al-4V ELI (extra low interstitial). A separate grade for medical work, not a condition of Grade 5
- CertificateMill test certificate to EN 10204 3.1 on request
Our ISO 9001:2015 certificate names aluminium, steel and stainless steel in its scope. Titanium parts go through the same inspection room, the same CMM and the same documentation route, but titanium is not named in that scope. If your quality system needs it, raise it at RFQ stage.
Grade 5 and the grades near it
| Grade | JIS (Japan) | US (ASTM / AISI / UNS) | GB/T (China) | EN / DIN (Europe) | Cross-reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5, the default | Class 60 (JIS H4650) | Grade 5 · UNS R56400 · ASTM B348 / B265 · AMS 4928 | TC4 (GB/T 3620) | TiAl6V4 · 3.7165 | Standard equivalent |
| Ti-6Al-4V ELI Grade 23, medical | Class 60E | Grade 23 · UNS R56407 · ASTM F136 / B348 | TC4 ELI | TiAl6V4 ELI · 3.7164 | Check the MTC |
| CP Ti Grade 2 commercially pure | Class 2 (JIS H4600) | Grade 2 · UNS R50400 · ASTM B348 | TA2 | Ti2 · 3.7035 | Standard equivalent |
| Ti-6Al-4V STA condition | Class 60 solution treated and aged | Grade 5 STA · AMS 4967 | TC4 STA | 3.7165 STA | Check the MTC |
Designations taken from ASTM B348, B265 and F136, AMS 4928 and 4967, JIS H4600 and H4650, GB/T 3620 and the EN material numbers. Buying Grade 23 is a separate purchase from Grade 5. It has tighter interstitial limits and its own certification chain, so we don't treat it as a cleaner Grade 5. Last reviewed 13 September 2026.
Applications suited to titanium
Corrosion where stainless has already failed
Seawater, brine, chlorides, acids and chemical process contact. When 316L pits and a coating is not acceptable, titanium is often the only option left that's not an exotic alloy.
Non-implant surgical and laboratory instruments
Handles, retractors, jigs and instrument bodies that go through the autoclave again and again. Anything implantable is specified as Grade 23 ELI to ASTM F136, with a certification chain to match. State the intended use at RFQ stage.
Weight-critical parts that steel cannot give up
Where an aluminium part is not strong enough and a steel one is too heavy. Aerospace ground-support tooling, cycling components, high-end audio and optical hardware.
Not as a general upgrade from stainless
Per kilogram, titanium costs several times as much. It also cuts at a fraction of the speed, and we order it in rather than hold stock. If the part does not need the corrosion resistance or the weight saving, 316L will do the job for much less.
Design for the springback
Titanium is roughly half as stiff as steel, so thin walls push away from the cutter and spring back afterwards. If you have walls under about 1 mm on a tall feature, let's discuss them before the drawing is released rather than after first article.
Grade 2 where strength is not the point
Commercially pure Grade 2 resists corrosion just as well, machines much more easily and costs less. For a fitting or a housing that does not carry much load, it may be the better specification.
Machining process
Low surface speed, heavy feed, sharp edges, and coolant running the whole time. If the tool hesitates in the cut, titanium punishes it harder than anything else we machine.
- MillingDoosan, Haas, Hision and FANUC RoboDrill machining centres, 3, 4 and 5-axis, in rigid setups
- TurningMori Seiki and Okuma lathes to Ø 310 × 800 mm
- SpeedSurface speed a fraction of what the same tool would run in steel. Cycle times are long and show as their own line on the quote
- CoolantFlood at high volume, through-spindle where the tool allows. Any heat that cannot leave with the chip goes into the edge
- Feed ruleNo dwelling and no rubbing. A cutter that sits in contact work hardens the surface, and the next pass suffers for it
- ToolingSharp uncoated or AlTiN carbide with a strong edge, changed on schedule. Climb milling as standard
- Thin wallStepped-down passes with support left in place, and roughing kept separate from finishing so the part can relax
- ChipsFine titanium chips are a fire hazard. We clear them continuously and do not let them get recut
We hold these figures day to day on this grade. They sit a step back from what we quote in aluminium on purpose, because titanium's low stiffness and the way it holds heat make the last few microns expensive. General tolerance follows ISO 2768 fine or medium class, whichever your print calls. Send the drawing and we'll confirm what we can hold before you commit to a PO.
Compatible finishing processes
- AnodisingTitanium anodising for colour or wear. It's a different process from aluminium anodising
- PassivationChemical cleaning and passivation, where the drawing names a standard
- BlastingGlass or ceramic bead blast on media never used on steel, for a uniform matte
- PolishingMechanical polishing to a specified Ra where the drawing calls for a surface value
- MarkingLaser marking for part number, revision and lot
- Not forZinc plating and most conversion coatings. They defeat the reason titanium was chosen
Free iron ruins a titanium surface too. Steel particles picked up from tooling, fixtures or blast media will corrode and stain the part. For that reason titanium work stays off steel fixtures and away from steel blast media. If there is a cleaning or passivation standard, write the standard number on the drawing and that's the standard the parts are held to. Full finishing list →
Ordered in per job
- StockNot held in Vietnam. Bar and plate are ordered in per job
- Lead timeProcurement time comes on top of our standard 14 days after PO and is confirmed at quote
- GradeTell us Grade 5 or Grade 23 ELI at RFQ stage. They're different purchases with different paperwork
- FormRound bar is easiest to source; plate and large sections take longer. Send the raw size you need
- QuoteWithin 24 business hours of a complete RFQ
- CertificateEN 10204 3.1 mill certificate on request, with a dimensional report in inch and millimetre
With titanium, getting the metal is often what takes longest. If your programme has a deadline, send it with the RFQ and we'll confirm whether we can meet it before you order. We never substitute Grade 2 for Grade 5, or Grade 5 for Grade 23, without your written approval.
Common questions
Is Ti-6Al-4V the same as Grade 5?
Yes. Grade 5 is the ASTM designation for Ti-6Al-4V, listed as UNS R56400, JIS H4650 Class 60 and EN 3.7165. The cross-reference is clean.
What is the difference between Grade 5 and Grade 23?
Grade 23 is Ti-6Al-4V ELI, meaning extra low interstitial. Its oxygen and iron limits are tighter, which gives better fracture toughness, and it's the grade used for medical implants to ASTM F136. You buy it separately. It's not just a cleaner Grade 5.
Why does a titanium part cost so much more than the same part in stainless?
There are two reasons. The metal costs several times more per kilogram, and it cuts at a fraction of the speed, so machining hours go up too. We show both as separate lines on the quote.
Can you machine implantable titanium parts?
Implant work to ASTM F136 needs a certification chain that goes beyond the material certificate. Tell us what the part is at RFQ stage and we'll confirm what we can support.
Does your ISO 9001 certificate cover titanium?
Our certificate scope names aluminium, steel and stainless steel. Titanium parts go through the same quality system, the same CMM and the same documentation, but titanium is not named in that scope.
How thin can a titanium wall be?
It depends on the height and how it's supported. Titanium is about half as stiff as steel, so walls deflect and spring back. Below roughly 1 mm on a tall feature, send the model and we'll tell you what is achievable before you commit.
Do you stock titanium?
No. It's ordered in per job, which adds procurement time on top of our standard 14 days after PO. We confirm the figure at quotation.
Related information
316L stainless steel
The cheaper corrosion-resistant option, and where it stops being enough.
7075-T6 aluminium
When the requirement is weight rather than corrosion, and aluminium can still carry the load.
Finishing and heat treatment
Anodising, passivation and the coatings we specify and check before shipping.