Titanium 15-3-3-3

Ti-15-3, a shortened designation for Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, is a metastable beta alloy, primarily used where cold formability and high strength are desired. Ti 15-3-3-3 is usually acceptable for use at temperatures up to 550°F (288°C).

The original concept was to develop an economical sheet titanium alloy that could be fabricated by cold-forming operations to reduce manufacturing and fabrication costs and to facilitate repairs in the field. Being strip producible, Ti-15-3-3-3 shows cost advantages when compared with the established alpha-beta alloys that must be hot rolled on hand mills. Whereas alpha-beta alloys also require hot forming in most situations, Ti-15-3-3-3 can be cold formed to quite intricate shapes with improved structural efficiency.

Moreover, the alloy is weldable, ageable to high strength, and relatively insensitive to environments such as saltwater. Finally, Ti-15-3-3-3 exhibits comparatively low directionality and its annealed properties are rather insensitive to process variations.

The alloy is available from Alloys International, Inc. in sheet, strip/foil and titanium rod but can also be obtained in tube/pipe, fittings, and castings.