Towards a new Titanium

Sector: Aerospace
4th Biennial Conference
Presented by:

Dr Willie du Preez

Director: Titanium Centre of Competence

Date: 9 October 2012

Outline

Why Titanium?
The Opportunity for South Africa
The SA Titanium Industry Strategy
Primary Titanium Production
Conclusion: How are we doing?

CSIR 2012 Slide 2

Why Titanium?
Ti is the 4th most-abundant structural metal in the earths crust
A relatively new metal - Dr Wilhelm Kroll produced the first significant
quantities of Ti in 1932 (Kroll process)
Since the 1950s Ti has been an aircraft metal; first for military, later for
commercial aircraft

Titanium alloys strength compares favourably to stainless steels and

superalloys, but its density is only about 56% that of steel
Commercial alloys of Titanium are useful to temperatures of about 540C
to 600C
Titanium is exceptionally corrosion resistant - outstanding in seawater and
in the human body (used for implants)

CSIR 2012 Slide 3

The SR-71 Blackbird

Designed & built in 1959 - 1963

Constructed 90%+ from Ti
alloys
Fastest airplane ever:
Mach 3.2 (3700 km/h) at
80 000 ft (~ 24 km)
New York - Londen: 1h 55min
Fuselage skin temperature up
to 370C
Needed to be lightweight,
strong and corrosion-resistant

CSIR 2012 Slide 4

Titanium Content in Commercial Aircraft

16
B787
14
12

Mass %

10
B777

A380

A350

8
B747
6
B757
4

B737

B747

2
B727
0
1950

1960

A300
1970

B767
1980

J Monahan, ITA Conference (2006)

CSIR 2012 Slide 5

1990

2000

2010

2020

Materials used in Modern Aircraft: Composites vs Titanium

Others
Titanium
Steel

Composite

Aluminium

Source: Engineering News Online,

American Institute of Aeronautics &
Astronautics

CSIR 2012 Slide 6

Titanium for the SA Space Strategy

Titanium alloys are widely used for satellite components and sub-systems
and launch vehicle components

Pressure vessels for satellites produced from

titanium alloy in South Africa in the 1990s

CSIR 2012 Slide 7

The Titanium Value Chain

Final
Products/Components:
USD/kg 150 20,000

Ti Powder
40 USD/kg Ti

Ti Mill Products
50 USD/kg Ti
Ti Ingot
20 USD/kg Ti
Ti Sponge
10 USD/kg Ti
TiCl4
3 USD/kg Ti
TiO2 Slag
0.79 US c/kg Ti
Ilmenite
0.29 US c/kg Ti

CSIR 2012 Slide 8

TiO2 Pigment
3 USD/kg Ti

SA Opportunity Technology-led Industry Development

2nd largest Ti
producer
rd
3 largest V
producer

Raw material

Primary Metal
and
Mill Products

Components
and
Manufactured
Products

Processes & technologies

Aerospace
Automotive
Medical
Recreational
Industrial
Power
Chemical
Marine

Market

The Titanium Centre of Competence

integrates and coordinates R&D and
commercialisation across the value chain
CSIR 2012 Slide 9

Titanium Centre of Competence

SA
Ti Industry

Developing and commercialising

technology building blocks
for the South African
Titanium Industry

Aerospace

Oil & Gas

Marine

Medical

Chemical
Automotive

Supplier Development

Industrialisation & Commercialisation

Technology Development
Primary
Metal Powder
Production

Powder
Consolidation

High Speed
Additive
Manufacturing

Investment
Casting

High
Performance
Machining

Friction
Welding

Sheet
Forming

CSIR

CSIR

NLC

CSIR

SU

NMMU

CSIR

Physical Metallurgy and Characterisation

Design, Simulation and Modelling

Laboratories and R&D Facilities

R&D Platforms
CSIR 2012 Slide 10

Titanium Centre of Competence Collaborators

International
R&D Institutions:
NIMS (Japan)
ESRF (France)
Fraunhofer IWU (Germany)
Univ of Plymouth (UK)

ULim
Necsa

Companies:
Airbus (Europe)
Boeing (USA)
Snecma (France)
ALD (Germany)

UP

CSIR

Mintek Aerosud
UJ

Wits

CUT

UCT

NMMU

SU

CSIR 2012 Slide 11

VUT

Southern
Implants

Envisaged New SA Titanium Metal Industry

Primary Titanium Metal Industry
CSIR-Ti Process

Titanium
Mineral

Powder consolidation

Titanium Metal
Powder
Reduction

Powder spheroidisation
Alloying

Additive
Manufacturing
Products

Near-net &
Net Shape
Products

Aeroswift
Umuvi
Medical

Metal Injection
Moulding
Press & Sinter

Titanium Mill
Products

Ferrotitanium

Bar
Sheet
Tube

Fabricated
Products

Cast
Products

Forming
Machining
Joining

Crucible
melting
Skull
melting

Steel
Making

Downstream Titanium Manufacturing Industry

CSIR 2012 Slide 12

Primary Titanium Production Objective

Commercialise a cost-effective and internationally

competitive alternative process for producing primary
titanium metal powder in South Africa

CSIR 2012 Slide 13

Cheaper Titanium Powder Changing the Game

CSIR-Ti Powder
10 USD/kg Ti

CSIR 2012 Slide 14

Primary Titanium Industrialisation Plan

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Titanium Centre of Competence

Primary Ti Production (CSIR Process)
Basic
Development

Completed

Pilot Phase
(2kg/h)

Feasibility
Phase

Under construction

Demonstration Plant
500 tpa
Commercially Pure (CP) Ti

Commercial partners

Downstream Products
Additive
Manufacturing

LAM large parts (Aeroswift)

Upscaling, Qualification, Industrialisation

CSIR 2012 Slide 15

World-Class Plant
Production: 20 000 tpa
CP Ti and Ti Alloy

Potential Impact on South African Aerospace

PRODUCT MARKETS

AERONAUTICS

SPACE

Other Systems

Significant industry revenue from Materials is possible

CSIR 2012 Slide 16

Services

Satellites

Services

UAVs

Materials

Launch Vehicles

Information Techn.

Security

Sensors

Helicopters

Avionics

General aircraft

Propulsion

Regional aircraft

Aero structures

Long haul aircraft

TECHNOLOGY STREAMS

OEM / Integrator

CSIR Light Metals Team

CSIR 2012 Slide 17

Thank you