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Niobium-titanium alloy revolutionizes manufacturing of complex parts driven by 3D printing technology

The combination of 3D printing technology and niobium-titanium alloy has completely changed the manufacturing paradigm of aviation parts. Taking Ti-Nb-Zr alloy as an example, through laser powder bed fusion technology (LPBF), turbine blades and brackets with complex internal structures can be directly printed, and the material utilization rate is increased from 20% of traditional processing to more than 95%. For example, the central wing slats of the COMAC C919 passenger aircraft are made of 3D printed titanium-niobium alloy, with a single piece weight of 196 kg and a size of 3.07 meters. The mechanical properties are better than traditional forgings, and the manufacturing cycle is shortened by 60%. The Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom even recycled and crushed the titanium alloy parts of the retired "Tornado" fighter, and made the engine nose cone of the "Tempest" sixth-generation fighter through 3D printing technology, realizing the closed-loop utilization of materials. This technological breakthrough not only reduces manufacturing costs, but also improves material strength by optimizing the microstructure (such as forming 5-35μm equiaxed crystals). For example, the copper-titanium-niobium alloy (Ti-5Cu-25Nb) has a tensile strength of 940MPa after 3D printing, and its elastic modulus matches that of human bones. It can be used in the cross-border fields of aerospace and medical care in the future.