Titanium Flat Product Production via Continuous Hot Rolling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high production cost of titanium metal strips compared to other metals makes existing processes inefficient, necessitating a more cost-effective method for producing titanium flat products like strips or plates through densification of titanium powder.
Innovation Solution
A process involving pre-heating titanium powder under a protective atmosphere, followed by hot rolling and rapid cooling, which significantly reduces production time and exposure to contaminants, allowing for continuous processing and achieving high densification with minimal handling and inventory, thereby lowering production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional sintering and multi-step rolling processes are used to densify titanium powder, then high density titanium strip can be produced, but production time is extended and exposure to contaminants increases
Solution Approach 1:
The green strip is pre-heated to rolling temperature before hot rolling, which prepares the material for rapid densification during the hot rolling process itself. This preliminary heating enables the subsequent hot rolling to achieve high densification levels much faster than conventional sintering processes
Solution Approach 2:
The process maintains continuous operation with the green strip moving continuously through pre-heating, hot rolling, and cooling zones. The protective atmosphere is maintained continuously throughout the process, eliminating interruptions and reducing total production time while maintaining high densification
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional multi-step processing with intermediate handling is used, then high density strip can be achieved, but handling and inventory costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into a single continuous hot rolling pass: pre-heating, hot rolling for densification, and cooling all occur in sequence without intermediate handling or inventory storage. The green strip moves continuously through the entire process while protected by atmosphere control
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous through-processing eliminates intermediate storage and handling steps. The green strip progresses continuously from pre-heating through hot rolling to cooling, achieving high densification without requiring intermediate inventory or complex handling operations
3Manufacturing precision
If extended sintering time is used to achieve high density, then contamination risk increases, but production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The process rushes through the high-temperature exposure period by using hot rolling instead of extended sintering. The green strip is heated to rolling temperature and then rapidly densified during the hot rolling pass, minimizing the time spent at elevated temperatures and reducing contamination risk from atmospheric exposure
Solution Approach 2:
A protective atmosphere is maintained throughout the entire process including pre-heating, hot rolling, and cooling. This inert environment protects the titanium powder and green strip from oxidation and contamination during the brief high-temperature exposure period
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process results in a cost-effective production of fully densified titanium flat products with reduced segregation and contamination risks, enhancing the competitiveness of titanium strips compared to other metals by minimizing handling and inventory costs.
Implementation Method 1
passing a titanium powder green flat material through a pre-heating station in which the flat material is heated under a protective atmosphere to a temperature at least sufficient for hot rolling
Implementation Method 2
passing pre-heated flat material from the pre-heating station to and through a rolling station while still under a protective atmosphere and hot rolling the pre-heated product to produce a hot rolled flat product of a required level of hot densification
Implementation Method 3
passing the hot rolled flat product from the hot rolling station, to and through a cooling station while still under a protective atmosphere, and cooling the hot rolled flat product to a temperature at which it can be passed out of a protective atmosphere
Data Source
AI summary
Titanium flat product is produced by passing a titanium powder green flat material through a pre-heating station and heated under a protective atmosphere to a temperature at least sufficient for hot rolling. The pre-heated flat material then is passed through a rolling station while still under a protective atmosphere and hot rolled to produce a hot rolled flat product of a required level of hot densification. The hot rolled flat product is passed through a cooling station while still under a protective atmosphere, and cooled to a temperature at which it can be passed out of a protective atmosphere. In the process, the hot rolling provides the predominant hot densification mechanism involved.