Improved deformation behaviour of Ti-6Al-4V at intermediate temperatures after α-β treatment

• Deep drawing of α-β titanium sheet at only 500 °C. • High formability achieved after a short 2-minute high-temperature treatment. • Enables low-cost, rapid production of Ti-6Al-4 V aerospace parts from sheet. • Avoids superplastic forming: no long cycle times or extreme temperatures. • Microstructural pathway identified for enhanced formability at mid temperatures. Improving the deformation behaviour of titanium alloys at intermediate temperatures is crucial for cost and energy savings in forming processes. In this context, the modification of the microstructure prior to forming is of great importance. Here we show how the deformability of α-β titanium sheets at 500 °C can be significantly increased via a tailored pre-heating procedure in the range of 750–950 °C, with an optimal range of 790–850 °C. Depending on the pre-heating temperature and the subsequent cooling conditions, major changes in hardening behaviour were achieved, resulting in increased elongation and/or tensile strength. Based on these results, an elongated cup was deep drawn at 500 °C after the pre-heating treatment, without relying on superplastic forming. Our results highlight the potential to develop an economic production process for thin-walled titanium components via deep drawing at intermediate temperatures.