Titanium is one of the commonly used metals in additive manufacturing, widely used in aerospace, joint replacement and surgical tools, racing and bicycle frames, electronic products, and other high-performance products.
Titanium and titanium based alloys have high mechanical strength, high strength to weight ratio, and better corrosion resistance than stainless steel. This material can make rockets and airplanes lighter, thereby saving fuel and improving payload capacity. It can also make electronic products such as smartphones and VR glasses lighter in weight. The same applies to medical implants. In addition, if the inherent quality of titanium is combined with the unique features of 3D printing, the advantages will be multiplied.

3D printed titanium components: GE Additive's hip joint, Sciaky's fan blades, Arcam Darker's rocket *, 3D Systems' titanium lattice components, EOS's titanium stent, Zenith Tecnica's surgical spine implant.
3D printing technology can manufacture this expensive metal more efficiently with lower raw material consumption and less waste. As a rapid prototyping technology, metal 3D printing typically only uses the amount of material required to manufacture the parts, as well as a relatively small amount of supporting structures.
3D printing can also achieve complex designs, such as internal channels, hollow or grid filled components, to reduce weight, which cannot be achieved by any other manufacturing method. Due to the absence of molds or tools, titanium alloy 3D printing technology can manufacture cost-effective components such as patient specific implants, prototypes, and research tools.
The applications of 3D printed titanium in manufacturing, healthcare, space exploration, and other fields are countless. Let's take a look at why titanium is so suitable for additive manufacturing and its current application areas.
1、 3D printing of titanium alloy applications

　　Precision products and electronic products
3D printing can produce very thin-walled and intricate titanium metal parts, which is also why it is used to manufacture watch cases, such as the Panerai and Holthinrichs watches shown in the picture, rumored to be about to become part of the Apple Watch Ultra.

3D printed titanium alloy hinge shift cover for the 2023 Honor Magic V2 foldable smartphone (source: Honor)
In 2023, smartphone manufacturer Honor launched a new foldable phone Magic V2, which features a 3D printed titanium alloy hinge cover that is lighter and 150% stronger than the previous aluminum alloy version. The company claims that this small piece of titanium metal can be printed into tens of thousands of titanium metal sheets through 3D printing technology, which is also the key to the product's ability to fold and unfold persistently and smoothly.
Medical and dental implants

Orthofix Medical's 3D printed titanium implant Construs Mimi Ti Spacer System was approved by the US FDA in 2021
(Source: Orthofix)
In the medical industry, 3D printed titanium implants have been successfully applied to the spine, hip joints, knee joints, and limbs because this metal itself has biocompatibility and good mechanical properties. In addition, 3D printing can customize porous structures (achieve bone integration) and large-scale customization, thereby bringing better treatment effects to patients.
3D printed titanium implants are gaining increasing regulatory approval and demand. Due to the fact that most medical implants are designed for a large number of people with the same condition, they are not suitable for everyone. People with rare diseases are often excluded. Now, with 3D printing technology, it is possible to produce implants specifically designed for individual patients.
In 2023, a surgeon from the UK completed four wrist surgeries on the same day, correcting previously fractured wrist bone deformities using patient specific 3D printed titanium plates. "Once this planning process is completed, customized steel plates will be printed using titanium powder, tested, transported to the UK, and disinfected at the county hospital to prepare for surgery," said Dr. Axel Malhotra, a orthopedic consultant surgeon and clinical head of hand and wrist surgery at the University Hospitals of North Midlands.

Corelink's 3D printed titanium screws have a porous structure that promotes bone growth, as well as FingerKit Consortium's new patient specific titanium finger joint.
In 2022, doctors at Manipal Hospitals in India encountered a cancer patient whose rib was being destroyed by a tumor, so they sought help from 3D printing titanium. Generally speaking, implants at this level are too heavy for the human body to bear, but due to the lightweight and high strength of titanium metal, patient specific substitutes weighing less than 250 grams can be 3D printed. Thanks to the success of the 3D printing implant, the patient fully recovered and resumed normal life without relying on external machines to assist breathing.
In an experiment using 3D printed titanium alloy Talas bones tailored for patients for ankle bone replacement surgery, patients reported positive results. Bone replacement means that patients do not need to undergo total ankle replacement. The talus is a very unique anatomical feature of patients, requiring the design of unique 3D components based on the patient's CT scan data.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a large number of 3D printed titanium implants in 2023, mainly involving spinal implants.
Restor3d's all metal (titanium) 3D printed ankle arthroplasty patient specific device will be approved in 2023.
SurGenTec's posterior 3D printed titanium sacroiliac joint fusion system Tilink-P will be approved in 2023.
FloSpine's 3D printed implant Tri Argo cervical interbody frame system for supporting the spine will receive FDA approval in 2023.
Eminant Spine's 3D cervical intervertebral fusion system (3D printed titanium configuration) will receive FDA approval in 2023.
ChoiceSpine's titanium Blackhawk Ti 3D printed cervical pad system will receive FDA approval in 2023.
Corelink's Siber Ti sacroiliac joint fusion system (porous, nanosurface, 3D printed titanium implant) will receive FDA approval in 2023.
Bicycle

Through titanium 3D printing, Angel Cycle Works can significantly reduce the weight of the new Heaven bike and optimize its design
(Source: Angle Cycle Works)
3D printed titanium alloy is almost common in today's high-performance bicycles, where every ounce of weight is important and high strength is crucial. Titanium is used for cranks, brake handles, handlebars, derailleur hangers, and even the entire frame. It has been proven that titanium is as strong as aluminum, as light as carbon fiber, and does not pose sustainability challenges as carbon fiber.
*Recently, bicycle manufacturer Carbon Wasp detailed why it abandoned aluminum and carbon fiber and instead used 3D printed titanium to manufacture its after-sales crank arms.
Speaking of the full frame, bicycle manufacturer Angel Cycle Works stated that it 3D printed an all titanium alloy frame in a lightweight component, which took up a crucial few seconds in race time and achieved new design geometries. Its new super motorcycle is called Heaven, which is 400 grams lighter than the previous version. Another all titanium alloy frame launched by Pilot this year is called Pilot Seiren. The frame of this road bike is completely 3D printed from titanium alloy (divided into three parts). The company stated that 3D printing of titanium alloy allows it to customize bicycles according to the rider's preferences, and the frame does not require any paint or coating.

The bicycle company Mythos provides customers with a range of 3D printed titanium parts, including these handlebars,
And Verve Cycling (right) offers a new 3D printed titanium crankshaft.
Aerospace

GKN Aerospace plans to add a new large titanium 3D printer to its Texas factory
(Source: GKN Aerospace Company)
In the aerospace industry, several titanium based rapid prototyping components have been put into commercial and military use, and many other prototypes are currently being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States. 3D printed titanium is highly praised for its lower "buy fly ratio", which is an aviation term referring to the correlation between the initial material weight and the weight of printed components.
Some contract manufacturers specializing in the aviation, defense, and aerospace markets, such as Primus Aerospace, StarHagen Aerospace, and Zeda, have invested in 3D printers capable of producing titanium component prototypes and final components.
In 2023, GKN Aerospace announced plans to build a massive 3D printing unit as part of its new global technology center located in Texas for 3D printing of titanium aircraft structures. This printer is called Cell 3 and can manufacture titanium metal components that are five meters long.

Since NASA only requires one, 3D printing of titanium alloy spoons for cold operated lunar deployable arms is more meaningful than traditional manufacturing
(Source: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Manufacturing industry
For completely different reasons, semiconductor manufacturer ASML has turned to 3D printed titanium, and now its titanium carrier tray preforms (used for wafer production) are 3D printed instead of forged, which can save 64% of raw materials and deliver faster. Norsk Titanium is a metal additive manufacturing company that uses a directed energy deposition (DED) platform. The company is printing 80 kilograms (approximately 176 pounds) of nearly net formed preforms using Ti64 for semiconductor chip production.
Norsk collaborated with Dutch partner Hittech Group to develop this type of preform, which according to Norsk, is used in lithography systems for ASML. ASML, also located in the Netherlands, has been one of the most discussed companies globally in the context of chip shortages in the past few years. Specifically, ASML is known for producing the world's * extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines.

3D printed titanium alloy wheel hub brackets manufactured by the University of Washington (source: University of Washington)
Even the US Navy has started using 3D printed titanium to save time and money, and eliminate dependence on foreign supply chains. Due to the lack of domestic capability to manufacture large titanium castings required for high-performance centrifugal pumps, the Navy is plagued by long delivery times and the use of high cost, carbon intensive titanium raw materials in the supply chain. But soon, by collaborating with a new domestic partner, IpersionX, to produce recycled titanium powder and Carver Pump for rapid prototyping manufacturing, the Navy will have the ability to significantly shorten the delivery cycle of key components, improve equipment availability, and sustainably rebuild the key titanium metal supply chain in the United States.
2、 Understanding Titanium Metal

Titanium powder (source: PyroGenesis Additive)
Pure titanium is usually not used for engineering applications, but it is commonly used in components such as knee and hip implants in the biomedical market. Titanium based alloys - controlled mixtures of metal components that provide specific mechanical properties - are widely used in industries that require very specific component performance. For a long time, metal material suppliers have been providing manufacturers with titanium for casting, and now they have also begun to provide titanium powder specifically formulated for rapid prototyping manufacturing.
Titanium for additive manufacturing
Grade 5 titanium 6Al-4V is a commonly used titanium alloy in additive manufacturing, and is an ideal material for prototypes and functional components in aerospace, automotive, and military fields. It is also a material for manufacturing parts with complex geometric shapes and precision, as well as production tools.
Grade 23 titanium 6Al-4V is a biocompatible alloy commonly used in medical implants and prosthetics.
The strength of Beta 21S grade titanium is higher than that of traditional titanium alloys such as Ti-6Al-4V, and its oxidation resistance and creep resistance are also better than those of traditional titanium alloys such as Ti-15V-3Cr. Among all titanium alloys, the hydrogen absorption efficiency of grade 21 titanium is *. It is an ideal choice for orthopedic implants and aerospace engine applications. Beta titanium is widely used in dental correction.
1. Grade 2 Cp Ti (pure titanium) is widely used in the medical field due to its biocompatibility with the human body.
TA15 is a near alpha titanium alloy containing aluminum and zirconium additives. The components made of TA15 have high specific strength, high load-bearing capacity, and temperature resistance, making them suitable for heavy-duty components in aircraft and engine manufacturing.
3、 How to 3D print titanium

After printing the light bicycle components, use a vacuum cleaner to remove unused titanium powder for reuse within the Trumpf TruPrint 3000
(Source: Trumpf)
There are various metal 3D printing technologies available for processing titanium based alloys, but the commonly used one is the powder bed melting process using titanium powder (laser powder bed melting, electron beam powder bed melting).
According to a report by consulting firm Ampower, most titanium alloy AM components are manufactured using powder bed technology. Powder bed melting technology is used to produce lightweight components for aviation and racing, as well as medical implants, while adhesive spraying technology is typically used to produce smaller medical devices using titanium.

Laser powder bed fusion (source: GE)
4、 Characteristics of 3D printed titanium

3D printed titanium alloy lugs for Atherton Cycles (source: Atherton)
In these two powder bed processes, important issues are how the microstructure of the material evolves during the printing process, and how energy density and heat transfer interact with the material lattice. This interaction is reflected in the temperature curve of the laser beam or electron beam transmitted to the raw material over time.
3D printing causes titanium metal to undergo multiple and complex thermal processing cycles, thereby affecting the mechanical properties of the material. Due to the fact that each printer is different and the materials are also different, it is difficult to determine the trends and relationships between them, as the range of adjustments needed is also large* A large amount of research has been conducted in this field recently, and most studies have pointed out that 3D printed titanium components have excellent structural integrity.
In March 2021, metal 3D printer manufacturer MELD Manufacturing released data confirming that the titanium produced by its process meets the requirements of ASTM and AMS standards for printing and forging materials.

Customized titanium components from Zenith Tecnica, a contract manufacturer specializing in titanium 3D printing (source: Zenith Tecnica)
These data were generated through collaboration with the National Center for Manufacturing Science (NCMS), Army Research Laboratory (ARL), and Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, and Processes (AMMP) program in the United States, using Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) material (also known as ASTM Level 5) for testing.
These data indicate that the yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation of the printed material in all directions (including the Z-direction through the printing layer) exceed the * requirements specified in ASTM standards.
As medical manufacturers increasingly adopt additive manufacturing technology in their production capacity, the number of titanium based 3D printed surgical implants approved by the US FDA continues to grow.