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Surface finishing of Titanium Ti-6-4

Greetings,

I am trying to locate companies who deal with surface finishing of Ti-6-4. We have surgical implant pieces with a surface of 125-250 micro and would like to get the finish down to about 60 micro. All I've come up with so far is companies who use vibratory tubs. Any suggestions?

Ethan Fricklas
- Narragannsett, Rhode Island
2000

Nitric acid and Hydrofluoric acid mixtures exhibit some chemical polishing capabilities. This is a dangerous mixture. Nitric-Ammonium bifluoride might do the same.

It is a long jump for chemical polishing to go from 320 to 60. It might not be possible.

I would call up Metal Coating Process Corp., they could give you information about electropolishing of Ti.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2000

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Achieving a 60 microinch finish on Titanium is not that difficult when using centrifugal barrel equipment and the appropriate media. In fact much finer surfaces can be developed if a process is used that has several cycles with successively finer abrasive materials. If the part shape lends itself to it, one of the newer processes available (Turbo-Abrasive Machining - TAM) has been known to reduce as-ground or as-machined surfaces to 20 Ra and below in cycles of less than 5 minutes

Dave Davidson
process labs - Bartlett, New Hampshire
2000