Metal · Material guide
Custom titanium parts from independent machine shops
Titanium delivers the strength of steel at roughly 60% of the weight, with corrosion resistance that shrugs off seawater and the body. It cuts slow and demands rigid setups, so upload a drawing and hear back from shops that run Grade 5 and Grade 2 every day.
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Titanium shops on OpenSpindle
Real shops that machine titanium day in and day out. See their equipment and talk to the person making your part.
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"Rapid Prototyping, Digital Manufacturing & CNC Machining Since 1994"
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"Precision Waterjet & CNC Cutting in Central Texas"
Grades
Titanium grades shops run most
The grade sets strength, formability, and biocompatibility. These are the ones you will see quoted; if yours is not here, ask when you request a quote.
Grade 5 / Ti-6Al-4V
The workhorse titanium alloy and by far the most machined. High strength, good fatigue life, and stable up to about 400 C. Harder to cut than the CP grades, so expect low speeds and rigid tooling.
Best for Aerospace structure, motorsport, brackets, high-stress parts
Grade 2 (commercially pure)
Unalloyed titanium chosen for corrosion resistance and formability over strength. Machines and welds more easily than Grade 5 and takes bends without cracking.
Best for Chemical, marine, and corrosion-driven parts, formed sheet
Grade 23 / Ti-6Al-4V ELI
The extra-low interstitial version of Grade 5, with tighter limits on oxygen and iron for better fracture toughness and ductility. The standard choice for anything implanted or fracture-critical.
Best for Medical implants, surgical instruments, fracture-critical parts
Grade 9 / Ti-3Al-2.5V
A medium-strength alloy that sits between the CP grades and Grade 5. Cold formable and commonly drawn into tubing, with good weldability.
Best for Tubing, hydraulic lines, bike frames, aerospace ducts
Grade 1 (commercially pure)
The softest, most ductile CP grade with the best formability and corrosion resistance. Lower strength than Grade 2, used where forming and corrosion matter more than load.
Best for Deep-drawn parts, plate exchangers, corrosion linings
Specs
Material properties
Representative values for Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V), the most common machining grade. Exact numbers vary by grade and heat treatment.
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Density | 4.43 g/cm³ (0.16 lb/in³), ~60% of steel |
| Tensile strength (Grade 5) | ~138 ksi (950 MPa) |
| Yield strength (Grade 5) | ~128 ksi (880 MPa) |
| Hardness (Grade 5) | ~36 HRC |
| Max service temp | ~400 °C (750 °F) |
| Machinability | Difficult (~20-25%); low speeds, rigid setup, work-hardens |
| Corrosion resistance | Excellent, including seawater and most acids |
| Weldability | Good under inert gas or vacuum shielding |
| Biocompatibility | Excellent; Grade 23 ELI for implants |
Titanium has an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio, but it cuts slowly and is hard on tooling, so parts cost several times more than the same part in aluminum.
Stock
Forms we machine it from
Plate & block
Milled and 5-axis parts machined from solid.
Round bar
Turned shafts, fasteners, and cylindrical parts.
Sheet
Waterjet, laser, and formed sheet metal parts.
Processes
Manufacturing methods for titanium
The right process depends on part geometry, tolerances, and production volume.
Finishing
Finishes for titanium
Titanium is one of only two common metals that anodize, but its anodize works differently from aluminum: the color comes from oxide thickness, not dye.
Type II anodize (color)
Voltage grows a clear oxide layer whose thickness bends light into color (blue, purple, gold, and more). There is no dye, and the finish is common on medical and consumer titanium.
Passivation
A nitric or citric acid bath that thickens the natural oxide for maximum corrosion resistance. Standard on medical and marine parts.
Bead blast
A uniform matte texture that hides machining marks. Often used as a base before anodizing or passivation.
As-machined
No finish. Titanium already resists corrosion, so bare parts are fine for internal or non-cosmetic use.
Titanium anodize colors are set by oxide interference, not pigment, so specify the target color and the shop dials in the voltage.
Applications
Where titanium parts are used
Titanium earns its premium where strength-to-weight, corrosion, heat, or biocompatibility rule out cheaper metals.
Compare
Titanium vs other materials
How titanium stacks up against the other metals shops quote most.
Titanium vs Aluminum
Aluminum →- Titanium has a much higher strength-to-weight ratio and far better high-temperature and corrosion performance
- Aluminum is several times cheaper and machines much faster
- Titanium is biocompatible and used for implants; aluminum is not
Choose aluminum for cost and speed. Choose titanium when strength-to-weight, heat, or biocompatibility justify the premium.
Titanium vs Stainless steel
Stainless steel →- Titanium is about 40% lighter than stainless with a comparable strength-to-weight edge
- Both resist corrosion well, but titanium wins in seawater and biological environments
- Stainless is far cheaper and easier to machine; titanium costs more in both stock and cycle time
Choose stainless for strength and corrosion at lower cost. Choose titanium when weight savings or biocompatibility matter more than price.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Grade 2 is commercially pure titanium chosen for corrosion resistance and formability, and it machines and welds more easily. Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) is an alloy with roughly twice the strength, which makes it the default for structural and load-bearing parts. Use Grade 2 for corrosion and forming, Grade 5 for strength.
More materials
Other materials on OpenSpindle
Get titanium part quotes
Upload a drawing once and compare quotes from independent shops that machine, cut, and finish titanium.
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