Titanium or Carbon Nanoparticles?

Without knowing more details (such as the size and shape) it is hard to say. Titanium can be machined like stainless steel but I am not sure about very fine die casting.

Titanium isn't cheap, and carbon fibre is difficult to mass produce in small shapes, so a combination of carbon fibre and titanium along with cheaper materials like high strength plastics and stainless steel or aluminium alloys is likely your best bet. Again it is hard to say what will work best for your application, but I would find it hard to believe you would need the bulk of the device made from something as strong and exotic as Titanium.

Have a very close look at your application (along with similar devices already on the military market) for more ideas and a clearer picture on what materials, ruggedness and cost is considered suitable in your particular target market.

Thanks Jack for your prompt reply but, reading between the lions, I suspect we're on a par here. I know die casting is a cheap, reliable way to manufacture relatively complex forms and has no mysteries. It's old tech, and therefore very attractive.

I need a casing about 70mm long by 20mm wide and 30mm high. It MUST be extremely robust and light (as always) and cheap to mass produce. (The same old story). The casing has a number of internal support structures for electronic and MEM components.Titanium meets all the design constraints but, as you said, is scary costly. I wondered if there might not be some technique similar to injection moulding that would lend itself to nanoparticles, since they also meet the constraints, particularly the environmental ones.

Consider making the outer casing out of strong material like carbon fibre/titanium and the inner materials out of a cheaper and less strong material. The outer casing provides the bulk of the strength and mechanical and environmental protection, and the inner materials provide some strength and vibration support, compression strength, etc.

Best of both wolds, after all you wouldn't make a gun totally out of titanium and carbon fibre, only key parts.

Depending on the device you could also consider filling the device with an epoxy or similar potting compound. It's a very common and cheap way of providing environmental and mechanical protection (it does have its disadvantages such as limited maintenance after device potting)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potting_(electronics)

Good thought, and it does, as you say, have some advantages, but I hate 'potted' components. Whenever I want to fix or modify something my bench ends up a battlefield! I'm sure it shows a manufacturers adhesion to the 'disposable' device paradigm. The presence of active MEMs also complicates the process somewhat.

Potting also protects you a bit better from having your products reverse engineered and copied.

and if you think of the end user, out in the field, potting can potentially add to the reliability, and the training, and continued business, because potting ensures that the device is not field repairable.. just replaceable. that makes repair much easier for field techs... and creates higher volume production for you.

from a business case point of view, potting has a lot of pros, and few cons, and if you use the right equipment in your facility, it can be a clean operation with little fuss.

Chris

Depending on how you intend to mount those components. Titanium is a b*tch to thread and machine in general.

Have you looked at metal injection molding? Is stainless steel a possibility, or is weight an important kov?

Whats wrong with magnesium?

Why is it that everything has to be a single piece , but complex as hell? Why not machine the complex as hell geometries, then weld to cheaper to fab simpler geometry casing components.?

I have consulted on materials and methods for manufacture and Quality assurance of parts for _______,_________,________,_____,_____,______safe and many others, and everybody wants to do it out of one piece, instead of optimum for materials, application and fabrication.

Do you have a Mag instruments flashlight? Thats aluminum. a good multi axis 5+ cnc machining center and that ought to be able to produce what you need; In my trade association I have a number of leading companies that could probably produce (not just prototype your parts.

ITARS sensitive, if not Registered.

You can email me provately by clicking on my name above its a link.

milo

The Artificer

I wondered if there might not be some technique similar to injection moulding that would lend itself to nanoparticles, since they also meet the constraints, particularly the environmental ones.

My suggestion may be way off field but have you ever looked into using glass? It comes with all required properties and can be laser or water jet machined/manufactured. Google 'manufacture technical glass' that should give you a fast response to companies that deal with it. You would be surprised what they can come up with.

If you have CAD files they could do it instantly. I have done some research lately and glass has come up as a winner because of its thermal as well as chemically inert properties.

Contained in a protective SS housing it could take quiet a hit to.

Just a thought, Ky.

Did you consider cheap easy manufacturing substrate material and then titanium nitried the part as titanium itself does not have very good wear resistance, harder to manufacture.

Titanium is the way to go. If you would like to get into specifics, please contact me.

Metal Matrix Composite using Ti/Al/Zr and other formulations is a very good method of manufacturing the components you appear to be looking for.

Powdered metal composites are just now taking on critical applications that appear to be very close to what you are in need of. Look into that area.

S

I'm also very interested in the emerging technology of metal nanopowders. It seems to offer a wide range of treatments and techniques and adapts itself to complex forms with ease. I reall just wondered if there were any 'injection moulding' style treatments available for carbon nanos as this would solve all my problems at once(the Holy Grail).

KY

That link was a spectacular bulls eye! That's exactly the sort of info I'm looking for! A million thanks.

The Tiff.

Good to hear. All the best, Ky.