RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN MELTING AND CASTING TECHNOLOGIES FOR TITANIUM ALLOYS

摘要

Over the last twenty year melting and casting technologies for titanium alloys has continued to evolve and adapt in response to industry needs. In the primary titanium industry, efficient use of different raw materials has been enabled by the widespread adoption of cold hearth and skull melting and numerical simulation and advanced control methodologies have supported evolutionary changes in vacuum arc remelting (VAR) methods. The casting industry has also seen evolutionary changes and adapted plasma melting, VAR and induction skull melt methods to facilitate the successful introduction of gamma aluminides. With the widespread interest in powder technologies and additive manufacturing there are new melting and solidification challenges to be addressed. This paper will summarize recent changes in the melting capacity and technology in the industry and highlight some of the advances in numerical methods for the simulation of solidification and discuss some of the requirements and challenges to be addressed.