Qualities Of Titanium That Make It An Excellent Fastener Material

When you are out there shopping for fasteners, one of the things that you will have to deal with is how to figure out which material to get them in. These days, titanium carriage bolts and titanium hex lag bolts are the in thing in many industries. The reason for this is that since its […]

When you are out there shopping for fasteners, one of the things that you will have to deal with is how to figure out which material to get them in. These days, titanium carriage bolts and titanium hex lag bolts are the in thing in many industries. The reason for this is that since its development, titanium has turned out to be one of the most reliable metals for fastener use in many industries. Most people know of titanium owing to the fact that it’s very expensive, and this is why it’s not so common. However, there are many scenarios where using it makes a lot of sense. Some of the reasons that make it particularly appealing include:

Its strength

One of the most important selling points of titanium is the fact that it’s very strong. Simple studies show that when you have a piece of titanium and compare it with a piece of stainless steel that has the exact same physical parameters, the titanium will be able to take on at least twice the load that the steel can before breaking. This is why titanium is used in scenarios where a lot of strength is required, such as when manufacturing the bolts to be used on a Formula 1 car.

The weight

Most people associate strength with weight. If you think of something that is exceptionally strong, you will automatically think of items that are usually very heavy. This is where titanium beats all other types of metals when it comes to manufacture of fasteners. Titanium bolts and nuts weigh only a fraction of the weight of aluminum and steel, despite being several times stronger than both.

 

Resistance to corrosion

In many manufacturing industries, the question of whether a metal can be corroded or not is central in determining whether to use it or not. One of titanium’s claims to fame is the fact that it’s very resistant to most chemical reactions including corrosion. This makes it the perfect metal for use in aviation and for maritime applications, where this is likely to be an issue.

The fact that it’s chemically inert also means that it’s not toxic. Other types of metals such as lead can easily break off and contaminate food and water, and this is why they are usually not used in food manufacturing plants, as opposed to titanium.

It’s easy to make alloys

The point of making an alloy is to combine the properties of two types of metals. However, it’s usually easier said than done. Making alloys is not a simple matter of mixing metals, one has to carefully choose metals that will not react with each other. The fact that titanium is inert compared to most other metals makes it a perfect candidate for this. It can be used to make alloys with other metals including molybdenum, manganese and even aluminum at relatively low cost.

These are just some of the benefits of using titanium for fastener manufacture. Though it is one of the more expensive metals out there, it can come in handy in many scenarios.