Additive Manufacturing Advantage
Additive manufacturing (AM) of titanium using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and electron beam melting (EBM) enables geometries that are impossible or prohibitively expensive to achieve through conventional casting, forging, or machining. Internal lattice structures reduce weight while maintaining strength. Topology-optimized shapes place material only where stress demands it. Conformal cooling channels improve thermal management. And consolidated assemblies eliminate fasteners and joints that add weight and potential failure modes. Ti-6Al-4V is the most widely 3D-printed metal alloy, with material properties that approach wrought equivalents when proper process parameters and post-processing are applied.
Post-Processing Services
CastAlloy provides comprehensive post-processing for additively manufactured titanium components, which is essential for achieving the mechanical properties and surface quality required for demanding applications. Our post-processing capabilities include hot isostatic pressing (HIP) to eliminate internal porosity (the most critical post-processing step for AM titanium), stress relief and solution treatment/aging heat treatment in vacuum furnaces, support structure removal and surface finishing, precision CNC machining of critical interfaces, datum surfaces, and mating features, and full NDT including CT scanning, ultrasonic, and penetrant inspection.
Hybrid Manufacturing Approach
CastAlloy's value proposition for additively manufactured titanium components lies in combining AM's geometric freedom with our established post-processing capabilities. We partner with AM service bureaus and OEMs who produce the as-built parts, then apply the HIP, heat treatment, machining, and inspection steps that transform raw AM parts into flight-ready or implant-ready components. This hybrid approach gives customers the best of both technologies. Contact us to discuss post-processing for your titanium AM components.