Material Family

Titanium Alpha-Beta Alloy (Ti-6Al-4V)

The workhorse high-strength titanium alloy, often heat-treatable.

Common Supply Conditions

1. Mill Annealed (MA): The standard condition offering a good balance of strength, ductility, and toughness. 

2. Solution Treated & Aged (STA): For maximum strength, but with reduced ductility and fracture toughness.

Most bar is supplied and used in the Mill Annealed condition. STA is for specialized high-stress applications.

Common Forms (Bar)

Hot Rolled, Forged, or Cold Finished Rounds, Hexagons, Squares. Also as Forging Billet for critical aerospace components.

Available in a wide range of diameters; forged bar offers superior grain flow for demanding applications.

Chemical Composition (Typical wt.%)

Ti: Balance
Al: 5.5 - 6.75
V: 3.5 - 4.5
Fe: ≤ 0.40
O: ≤ 0.20
C: ≤ 0.08
N: ≤ 0.05

Aluminum (Al) increases strength and stability. Vanadium (V) enhances hardenability and ductility.

Mechanical Properties (Mill Annealed, Room Temp)

Tensile Strength (Rm): 895 - 1000 MPa
Yield Strength (Rp0.2): 828 - 930 MPa
Elongation (A): 10 - 15%
STA Condition (Typical): UTS ~1100-1200 MPa, YS ~1000-1100 MPa

Strength is approximately double that of CP Grade 2 bar, with a density of only 4.43 g/cm³.

Physical Properties

Density: 4.43 g/cm³
Melting Point: ~1650 °C
Elastic Modulus: 114 GPa
Service Temperature: Up to ~315°C (600°F) for long-term structural use.

Excellent specific strength (strength/density ratio), superior to many steels and aluminum alloys.

Key Corrosion Resistance

• Excellent resistance similar to CP titanium in oxidizing and chloride environments (seawater, chlorides, nitric acid).
• Immune to chloride stress corrosion cracking (Cl-SCC).

• Good resistance to mild reducing acids when anodized or in presence of oxidants.

•  Can be susceptible to crevice corrosion in hot (>70°C) brines; anodizing improves resistance.

Slightly less corrosion-resistant than pure grades in some media but still outstanding for most applications.

Key Standards (Bar)

ASTM B348 / ASME SB-348 (Grade 5), AMS 4928 (Aerospace Bar, most common), AMS 4967 (STA Condition)

AMS 4928 is the leading aerospace procurement standard for mill-annealed bar.

Machinability

Machinability Rating: ~40%. More difficult than Grade 2. It is abrasive, has low thermal conductivity, and tends to gall. Requires sharp carbide tools, rigid setups, lower speeds, higher feeds, and generous coolant flow.

Machining requires expertise and proper parameters to achieve good tool life and surface finish.

Typical Bar Applications

• Aerospace: Aircraft landing gear components, engine mounts, fasteners, hydraulic fittings, structural airframe parts.
• Marine: Submarine components, propulsion shafts, high-pressure valve bodies, offshore riser parts.
• Medical: Orthopedic implants (hips, knees, spinal rods), surgical tooling.
• Industrial: High-performance automotive connecting rods, racing valves, critical fasteners.
• Oil & Gas: Downhole tool components, wellhead parts.

The dominant bar material for high-integrity, lightweight structural components in advanced engineering sectors.