Vacuum Creep Forming Services
Flatten or form titanium to unique shapes
High Vacuum Creep Forming and Flattening Services
Titanium Alloys in Aerospace Applications
Titanium alloys are widely utilized in aerospace applications, such as load-bearing airframe components, due to their exceptional mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and lightweight properties. However, titanium alloys present challenges when machining / forming at room temperature due to their inherent material characteristics.
High Vacuum Creep Forming: Improving Formability
Vacuum creep forming is an effective method to enhance the formability of titanium alloys and minimize spring-back during the forming process. This process involves maintaining the workpiece against a die or fixturing for a specified dwell time under controlled vacuum conditions after the initial forming stage. The result is reduced residual stress, minimal spring-back, and consistent repeatability.
Creep Forming and Flattening Titanium in High Vacuum
To achieve high-quality finished parts, several key steps are essential:
- Vacuum Furnace Preparation: Pre-bake the vacuum furnace at 2,400°F before the process and maintain vacuum levels in the 10−5 Torr range to avoid surface oxidation and the formation of the alpha case.
- Fixture Preparation: Bake fixturing components at least 150°F higher than the creep flattening temperature to prevent contamination.
Stress Relief Integration
In-process stress relieving can assist to minimize material movement seen during the machining process and eliminate cold working. Since stress relieving and creep flattening often occur at the same temperature, this dual process not only relieves internal stress but also reshapes the part for final machining. Additionally, vacuum conditions during this process facilitate hydrogen extraction, adding degassing benefits to stress-relieving and shaping.
Typical Temperatures for Creep Forming and Flattening
Creep forming or flattening of titanium typically occurs above 1,000°F, with optimal ranges between 1,250°F and 1,350°F depending on the alloy. Precise temperature and hold times vary by composition, but a two-hour hold at temperature, monitored using work thermocouples, is generally sufficient.
Fixturing for High Vacuum Creep Forming and Flattening
Graphite tooling is ideal for creep forming and flattening titanium parts. Graphite accommodates thermal expansion and contraction with minimal friction, ensuring smooth material movement in the desired direction while maintaining critical dimensional tolerances. While metallic fixtures can be used, graphite is preferred for its superior performance in these applications.
Unique Capabilities
- Complete line of vacuum furnaces ranging from small R&D lab sized to large 48 foot long
- Extensive load sensor capability (48 thermocouples)
- Precision ground graphite fixturing used as a base or mold
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- Weldments
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Materials Processed
- Titanium
Ask the Expert:
Solar Atmospheres of Western PA’s Director of Sales Discusses Creep Flattening Titanium
FAQs
Titanium creep forming and creep flattening are specialized vacuum heat treating processes used to reshape or straighten titanium components at elevated temperatures. By carefully applying heat and controlled force, residual stresses are relieved while the part is formed to the desired geometry. These processes are widely used to improve dimensional accuracy in aerospace, medical, and other high-performance applications.
Most titanium alloys are creep flattened at temperatures above 1,000°F, with the majority of applications performed between 1,250°F and 1,350°F. The exact temperature, soak time, and processing parameters depend on the specific titanium alloy, component geometry, and applicable material specification. In many cases, a two-hour soak at temperature using work thermocouples provides effective and repeatable results.
Yes. Titanium components often develop residual stresses during rolling, forging, machining, or welding, which can cause parts to move or distort as material is removed. Because creep flattening and stress relieving are frequently performed simultaneously, the process can both relieve internal stresses and restore the component to its required shape before final machining. This helps improve dimensional stability and reduce costly rework.
Yes. In addition to flattening warped components, creep forming can be used to create complex contours and precise shapes by forming titanium over custom tooling at elevated temperatures. This process is commonly used for aerospace structural components where tight dimensional tolerances and minimal springback are critical.
Not necessarily. Many titanium products are supplied to aerospace material specifications such as AMS 2801, AMS 4905, AMS 4911, and AMS-H-81200. In many cases, components can be re-annealed while simultaneously undergoing creep flattening, provided the process remains within the allowable temperature limits of the applicable specification.
Providing your heat treater with the original mill certification and material specification allows the thermal process to be developed in accordance with your certification requirements.
Yes. Vacuum creep flattening often provides multiple benefits in a single thermal cycle, including:
- Relieves residual machining and forming stresses
- Restores flatness or required geometry
- Improves dimensional stability for finish machining
- Degasses dissolved hydrogen during deep vacuum processing
- Produces bright, clean, contamination-free surfaces
- Minimizes distortion and reduces scrap
Combining several thermal objectives into one process can improve efficiency while reducing manufacturing costs.
Titanium is highly reactive at elevated temperatures and can absorb oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon if processed in an uncontrolled atmosphere. Performing creep forming in a deep vacuum prevents surface contamination, preserves mechanical properties, and eliminates the formation of alpha case, ensuring the component maintains its fatigue strength and corrosion resistance.
These processes are widely used for precision titanium components in:
- Aerospace
- Defense
- Space
- Medical device manufacturing
- Power generation
- Advanced industrial manufacturing
51ÁÔÆæ combines decades of titanium processing expertise with advanced vacuum furnace technology to provide precision creep forming and flattening solutions. Our metallurgical team develops custom processes that improve dimensional stability, relieve residual stresses, preserve material properties, and help customers meet demanding aerospace and medical specifications.