Beta Forging of a Ti6Al4V Component for Aeronautic Applications: Microstructure Evolution

Ti–6Al–4V is an alloy increasingly used for structural applications in aeronautics due to its characteristics of high mechanical properties, lightness, and corrosion resistance. This alloy is conventionally forged below the beta transus temperature in order to control the microstructure evolution, to obtain a component with the desired properties. In this paper, some experiences of an innovative beta forging process of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy are reported. A preliminary campaign of forging tests in the beta field on cylindrical coupons was carried out in order to study the microstructural evolution in different forging conditions, in terms of both temperature and strain rate. Moreover, in order to study the microstructural evolution due to the beta forging in a complex shaped component, a case study is presented. The forged component showed a microstructure coherent with the forging process experienced; moreover, the hardness values measured were similar to the ones of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy in mill-annealed conditions.