Titanium Costing Issues

[coleasterling]

Does anyone else here have an issue with how titanium is done in the materials table? Why is titanium the same price as Inconel at $22/kg? Ti is nowhere close to the cost of Inconel. The next closest is magnesium at $6/kg. Why the huge jump? I have lots of experience with titanium machining and manufacturing because of my job and that price makes no sense to me. I'd like to make some titanium parts this year, but the costing makes it difficult to justify.

[ed_pratt]

Hi Cole,

I think it's probably done to inhibit the use of Ti. I guess the thoughts were along the lines of - it's not very easy to weld and it's more tricky to machine than steel or Al.

All recent discussions aside - It may also be the case that the competition remit of building a cheap vehicle for the "weekend warrior" doesn't really include the use of materials for parts which the amateur racer couldn't repair themselves/very cheaply.

Ed

[exFSAE]

For an order of magnitude check.. went to onlinemetals.com

12x12x1" plate of Grade 2 comes in at $1095.00. IIRC Ti is about 0.15 lb/ci. So.. $1095 for 21.6 lb, that's $50/lb.

Titanium Joe has 12.25x24.5x1" Grade 5 plate at $2052, or $45/lb.

Looks pretty spot on to me, for your average shop trying to source some material.

[Mbirt]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ed_pratt:
I think it's probably done to inhibit the use of Ti. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Coming from a team with greater proficiency in titanium fabrication than composites, I must ask why carbon fiber prices aren't increased every time a team rolls into tech inspection with a "soggy" monocoque.