The Effects of Laser and Mechanical Forming on the Hardness and Microstructural Layout of Commercially Pure Grade 2 Titanium Alloy Plates

This paper illustrates the effects of the laser and mechanical forming on the hardness and microstructural distribution in commercially pure grade 2 Titanium alloy plates. The two processes were used to bend commercially pure grade 2 Titanium alloy plates to a similar radius also investigate if the laser forming process could replace the mechanical forming process in the future. The results from both processes are discussed in relation to the mechanical properties of the material. Observations from hardness testing indicate that the laser forming process results in increased hardness in all the samples evaluated, and on the other hand, the mechanical forming process did not influence hardness on the samples evaluated. There was no change in microstructure as a result of the mechanical forming process while the laser forming process had a major influence on the overall microstructure in samples evaluated. The size of the grains became larger with increases in thermal gradient and heat flux, causing changes to the overall mechanical properties of the material. The thermal heat generated has a profound influence on the grain structure and the hardness of Titanium. It is evident that the higher the thermal energy the higher is the hardness, but this only applies up to a power of 2.5kW. Afterwards, there is a reduction in hardness and an increase in grain size. The cooling rate of the plates has been proved to play a significant role in the resulting microstructure of Titanium alloys. The scanning speed plays a role in maintaining the surface temperatures of laser formed Titanium plates resulting in changes to both hardness and the microstructure. An increase in heat results in grain growth affecting the hardness of Titanium.