Why Titanium is King in Metal 3D Printing

Titanium has become the most commonly used metal in additive manufacturing, widely employed in aerospace, joint replacements and surgical tools, race cars and bicycle frames, electronics, and other high-performance products.

Titanium and titanium-based alloys offer high mechanical strength, high strength-to-weight ratio, and better corrosion resistance than stainless steels. It makes rockets and planes lighter, which saves fuel and increases payload capacity. In the aerospace industry, several titanium-based additively manufactured parts approved by the US FAA are currently in commercial and military use, with numerous other prototypes making their way toward certification. 3D printed titanium is prized for its low “buy-to-fly” ratio, an aerospace term that refers to the correlation between the weight of the initial material and the printed part’s weight.

In the medical industry, 3D printed titanium implants have been successful across spine, hip, knee, and extremity applications due to the metal’s inherent biocompatibility and good mechanical properties combined with 3D printing’s ability to tailor porous structures enabling bone integration and mass customization for better patient outcomes. 3D printed titanium implants are gaining in both regulatory approval and demand. Because most medical implants are manufactured to cover large groups of people with the same condition, they aren’t an ideal fit for everyone. People suffering from rare conditions are often left out. Now, with 3D printing, it is possible to produce implants designed exclusively for individual patients.