Manufacture of Titanium implants

Titanium is characterized by low density and excellent biocompatibility. Furthermore, Titanium based alloys feature a high strength. Due to this combination of properties Titanium and Titanium based alloys are increasingly used by medical technique. TiAl6V4 as an (α+β)-alloy can only be formed substantially at high temperatures due to the limited deformation ability of the α-phase. Titanium’s capability to dissolve several percent of oxygen causes difficulties at heat treatment and hot forming especially in thin dimensions. Alternative solutions and methods of resolution are being discussed. Based on a strip manufacturing process a cold rolled strip can be produced for specific applications. The process is mainly applicable to produce a cold rolled strip suitable for superplastic forming. For this purpose the superplastic forming was adapted to the new strip material. The cold rolled TiAl6V4-strip exhibits a technically interesting area for superplastic forming. Formation of the microstructure and mechanical properties are being explained. On the basis of these results a first prototype shell of a pacemaker case was manufactured from the specific cold rolled TiAl6V4-strip by superplastic forming. The results demonstrate the possibility to manufacture pacemaker cases with equable properties.