Ultra-hard composite materials extended die life from tens of hours to 500+ hours for a titanium alloy wire producer.
The Challenge
Drawing Titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) is extremely abrasive. Standard carbide dies were washing out within 12 hours of operation, causing unacceptable downtime and dimension shifts.
Titan Engineering Solution
We introduced a hybrid die solution featuring a mega-grain PCD insert for the reduction zone, supported by a high-toughness carbide casing. This combined the wear resistance of diamond with the shock resistance required for titanium.
Fig 1. Analysis and Implementation
The Results
Die life extended dramatically from ~12 hours to over 500 hours. The frequency of diameter adjustments was reduced by 95%, allowing for semi-continuous production runs.
Key Takeaways
- Material pairing is essential for exotic alloys.
- Hybrid die construction offers the best of both worlds.
- Extended tool life significantly reduces cost-per-meter.
Facing a similar issue?
Our application engineers can audit your current setup and propose a similar high-performance tooling solution.
- 24-hour drawing analysis
- Custom geometry simulation
- Performance guarantee