How to Choose the Right Grade

You've done your research and determined that titanium is the correct metal for your next product. This, however, is just the first step. There are still a couple important decisions that need to be made.

There are multiple grades of commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys, and you need to be sure that you get the right forms and grades to ensure your project is completed successfully.

While all grades are corrosive resistant, strong and lightweight, there are still some significant differences that could impact the final results. When you choose the titanium grade, it's important to consider how the metal will be used, what conditions the titanium will be in, and the size of the titanium parts.

Pure grade titanium comes in four grades, each with different characteristics that make them ideal for different projects.

Below is a list of commercially pure titanium and many of the most common alloys, including the common product forms and usages. Understanding these traits and how they can impact your project can help you choose the right titanium grade for the job.

Grade 1 titanium is the softest grade of titanium, which makes it very formable. It offers a high ductility while still maintaining the necessary impact toughness. This grade is most often used in plates, tubing, piping, and a range of other applications where a higher level of weldability and formability is important.

This titanium is used in a variety of industries and its characteristics make it an effective choice for:

aerospace

medical

marine

architecture

manufacturing

power

chemical processing facilities

desalination

automotive parts

airplane structures and frames

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For slightly stronger metal, there is Grade 2 titanium. It is still very moldable, but has a higher tensile strength. Grade 2 titanium is very widely available, which makes it more affordable than other grades. The common product forms include everything from bar and billet to plate and wire.

It has many of the same applications as grade 1 titanium, though it is also used in:

power generation

hydro-carbon processing

exhaust pipe shrouds

airframe skin

Grade 3 titanium is not used near as much as grade 2, but it still has its uses. It is stronger than grades 1 and 2, features good weldability, and extremely high corrosion resistance. It is less moldable than the other 2 grades, but the added strength and resistance make it a good choice for:

chemical processing

marine applications

aerospace

It can be purchased in bar, billet, ingot. plate, and welded products.

Grade 4 titanium is the strongest pure grade titanium, but it is also the least moldable. Still, it has a good cold formability, and it has many medical and industrial uses because of its great strength, durability and weldability. Grade 4 titanium is most commonly found in:

surgical hardware

heat exchangers

CIP equipment

It can be purchased in bar, billet, ingot, plate, and strip.

Ti 6AI-4V (a.k.a grade 5) is the most common of titanium alloys, and it referred to as the "workhorse" of the aerospace industry for a reason. It can resist temperatures up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, is strong, light-weight, highly formable, and extremely corrosion resistant. It is made from the combination of titanium, aluminum, vanadium, and iron.

Grade 5 is popular in the aerospace industry for aircraft turbines as well as structural components, but it is also used in high-performance engine parts, sports equipment biomedical implants, and more. Common product forms include bar, billet, foil, sheet, seamless pipe, wire, plate and more.

Grade 7 is the most corrosion resistant of the titanium alloys. It features most of the properties of grade 2 pure titanium, but the added palladium helps increase the weldability and formability. It is most commonly used in chemical production equipment, and is available in most product forms.

Grade 12 has a strength that is similar to the 300 series steels, and it has a very high formability and weldability, making it a good choice for various fabricated applications. Its high corrosion resistance also makes it a common choice for:

heat exchanges

chemical manufacturing

marine applications

aerospace applications

It can be purchased in bar, billet, plate, strip, wire, and welded pipe and tubing.

Ti 6AL-4V ELI, or Grade 23, has is often made into coils, strands, wires or flat wires. It is made of a combination of titanium, vanadium and aluminum, which gives it a very high tensile and yield strength while reducing the ductility and weldability. It also has a unique biocompatibility property that makes it popular for many medical and dental applications including:

surgical staples

ligature clips

pins and screws

and more

It has also found work in airframe components and ballistic armor. It is available in most common product forms, including seamless pipe and tubing.

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We are a specialized manufacturer engaged in the deep processing of titanium and titanium alloys, offering a full product range including titanium tubes, plates, bars, wires, and foils. Our facility is equipped with modern, dedicated production lines featuring heavy-duty reversing hot rolling mills for thick plates and multi-roll cold rolling mills for precision sheets and foils. Tube manufacturing utilizes precision cold pilger mills and seamless tube production lines, while bar and wire products are formed through high-speed bar/wire rolling mills and continuous drawing equipment. Critical processes are supported by vacuum annealing furnaces for precise heat treatment, and finishing is handled by CNC machining centers, laser cutting systems, and precision leveling machines. With a comprehensive quality control system overseeing the entire process from raw material to finished product, we are committed to providing high-performance, precision titanium solutions for industries such as aerospace, medical devices, chemical processing, and high-end consumer goods.

We implement industrial-grade protective standards, providing customized packaging solutions for each titanium product: tubes and bars are individually secured with anti-rust VCI lining within reinforced wooden crates; plates and foils are interleaved with anti-scratch PE film and packed in heavy-duty corrugated boxes; wires are precision-wound on industrial reels. All packages include desiccant and feature clear product labeling with traceability codes, ensuring that your precision titanium materials are protected from moisture, impact, and abrasion during storage and global logistics, arriving safely at your production line.

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