Titanium Fasteners

Do Use it for Saltwater Resistance
Titanium fasteners are resistant to saltwater, which makes them more desirable for use in a saline environment. Industries like Naval, desalination and offshore oil rely highly on titanium due to its resistance to saltwater. Interestingly, titanium fasteners are resistant to both moving and stagnant seawater up to a mile deep. They even depict this property at temperatures of up to 500°F.

Do Use it for Chloride Resistance.
Just like saltwater, titanium fasteners are also repellant to all chlorine or chloride solutions. Titanium’s ability to regenerate its protective-passive layer in the presence of oxygen makes it resistant to them. They are further resistant to almost every chlorine or chloride solution, including chlorite, hypochlorite, chlorate, perchlorate, and chlorine dioxide. Another aspect is that if chlorine is used in the absence of water or as a gas, this can cause rapid corrosion.

Do Not Use it in Acid.
As mentioned above, titanium fastener offer excellent corrosion resistance to salt water and chlorides. However, it is not true for strong acids. The titanium fasteners corrode at certain acid concentrations and temperatures. This happens because they lose their protective-passive layer when exposed to sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid.

Don’t Use it in Dry Chlorine.
Even though titanium fastener are ideal for almost all chloride and chlorine applications, they certainly cannot be used in the absence of water. Dry chlorine and chloride gases will make them rapidly corrode and even ignite. The simple reason behind this is, without water or gas, oxygen is absent, and titanium loses its ability to regenerate its protective layer in the absence of oxygen, which then results in corrosion.

Titanium Grade 1
Titanium grade 1 stands as the embodiment of purity in the titanium world
Composed primarily of titanium and void of alloying elements, it boasts exceptional corrosion resistance and formability
Commonly used in chemical processing and marine applications, grade 1 is the go-to choice where corrosion resilience is paramount.

Titanium Grade 2
Titanium grade 2 is one of the most common types of titanium
With a balance of strength and weldability, titanium grade 2 emerges as one of the most popular options due to its 99% titanium purity
This commercially pure grade finds its place in chemical processing, architecture, and medical implants
Its moderate strength, coupled with excellent corrosion resistance, makes it a formidable contender in various fields
It is also suitable for components needing strength up to 204°C and exhibiting resistance to oxidation up to 315°C

Titanium Grade 3
Titanium grade 3 emerges as a versatile and reliable option
Often overshadowed by its more renowned counterparts, grade 3, with its distinct composition, finds its niche in various industrial applications, such as chemical processing, marine engineering, and medical implants
It finds applications in components that need strength capabilities reaching 204°C and resilience against oxidation of up to 315°C

Titanium Grade 4
Titanium grade 4 stands out as the purest form of unalloyed titanium, distinguished by elevated oxygen content and exceptional strength
It strikes a delicate balance between strength and ductility, alloyed with small amounts of palladium
Grade 4 excels in applications requiring both robustness and malleability and is suitable for components demanding strength levels reaching 204°C, exhibiting oxidation resistance up to 315°C
This makes grade 4 a sought-after choice in the marine and chemical industries

Titanium Grade 5
Grade 5 titanium (6Al-4V) surpasses the strength of commercially pure titanium alloys
With 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium, this heat-treatable alloy boasts a compelling blend of strength, weldability, and formability
This makes it indispensable for applications where a high strength-to-weight ratio is crucial
Grade 5 titanium maintains the same corrosion properties as titanium grade 2, making it very suitable for environments involving chemical processing, architecture, aerospace, and transport

Adjusting the driver’s slip clutch
Located at the rear end of the chuck, the slip clutch indicates the torque power that is transferred to the head of the titanium fastener. You need to be trained at using the clutch in order to bore the titanium fastener to the required depth, without falling prey to overdriven or under-driven situation. The slip cutch setting is such that if surpassed by the force required to drive in the titanium fasteners, the clutch will slip and the motor will continue to drive, without the chuck turning. You can only derive at the ideal number by experimenting with different torque setting.

Using self-centering bits
In spite of a sturdy hand and eye combination, it sometimes becomes difficult to drill a perfect slot for titanium fasteners with millimeter accuracy. If the hole gets misaligned from the center, you’ll probably end up overdriving the titanium fastener in the wrong direction. In order to get that perfectly centered position of the screws, consider using a self centering bit to mount the parts more precisely, without compromising the shear-capacity. This is especially useful for inserting longer threads.

Drilling pilot holes
Pilot holes prevent the titanium fasteners from breaking in half or being overdriven, which is quite imperative when driving brass screws inside the hole. It is basically a hole of low diameter bored at the base of the board. The main objective is to provide a pathway for the titanium fastener to enter the slot without ripping it apart, and hence minimizing the chances of shear-capacity reduction.

Practicing to master the expertise
Overdriving the titanium fasteners is a common error that happens more often than not, and especially if you are new to driving the screws, you have a tough job at hand. Getting used to this skill takes practice just like archery. You are only going to learn with several repetitions till the time your hands fit the purpose.