Titanium alloy is an important structural metal developed in the 1950s. Titanium alloy rods have low density, high specific strength, good corrosion resistance, low thermal conductivity, non-toxic, non-magnetic, weldable, good biocompatibility, decorative surface and other characteristics. They are widely used in the fields of chemical industry, petroleum, electric power, construction, sporting goods and so on. Many countries in the world have realized the importance of titanium alloy materials, and have carried out research and development on it, and has been applied in practice.

The Automobile Industry

Reducing fuel consumption and harmful gas (CO2, NOX, etc.) emissions has become the main driving force and direction of technological progress in the automobile industry. The research shows that light weight is an effective measure to save fuel and reduce pollution. For every 10 percent reduction in vehicle mass, fuel consumption can be saved by 8 to 10 percent and exhaust emissions can be reduced by 10 percent. In terms of driving, the acceleration performance of the car after lightweight is improved, and the control stability, noise and vibration of the vehicle are also improved. From the point of view of crash safety, after the car is lightweight, the inertia will be reduced, so that the braking distance is also shortened.

The preferred way of automobile lightweight is to replace the traditional automobile materials (steel) with lightweight materials with high specific strength, such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium, etc. In 2009, global automobile titanium production reached 3,000 tons. Titanium alloy rods have been used in racing car building for many years. At present, almost all racing cars use titanium. More than 600 tons of titanium are used in Japanese cars.The advantages of using titanium in automobiles are: reducing weight and fuel consumption; Improve power transmission effect, reduce noise;Reduce seismic sensation, reduce component load; Improve car durability and environmental protection.

Titanium alloy rods are used in other fields besides the automotive industry, which will be introduced later.