01
Heat at the cutting edge
This alloy conducts heat poorly, so the temperature stays in the cut. Tools wear fast, edges chip, and the surface tears. By the time the operator notices, the finishing pass is already cutting into a damaged wall.
Titanium Alloy Machining
Grade 6Al 4V Titanium Alloy CNC Machining
We machine UNS R56400 titanium parts to ±0.005 mm on 16 simultaneous 5-axis centers. From one prototype to 10,000+ part runs, with 100% inspection before shipment.
±0.005 mm toleranceRa 0.2–0.8 μm finish16 five-axis centersNo MOQISO 9001 / ISO 1348512-hour quote
±0.005 mmAchievable tolerance
16Simultaneous 5-axis centers
4,000 mmMaximum part length
99.99%Qualification rate
Where titanium goes wrong
Titanium exposes every weak point in a process
This alloy is expensive and stubborn. Most failures show up after the part is already cut.
02
Thin walls that move
Aerospace and medical parts often carry 0.8 mm walls. Remove material on one side and the shape springs back. Roughing and finishing in the same setup without stress relief gives you a part that measures correctly on the machine and out of tolerance on the CMM.
03
Chatter on deep pockets
Titanium has low stiffness and low thermal conductivity. Long-reach tools chatter, and the chatter marks are hard to polish out. A pocket that should take 40 minutes can take three hours once you slow down to stop the vibration.
04
Finish called out wrong
Print says Ra 0.4 μm over the whole part, including a face that only ever sees air. That single callout can add days of hand polishing. Talking through which surfaces actually need the finish usually saves both time and cost.
How we run it
Cut titanium with the right heat, the right rigidity, and the right sequence
Four things decide whether a titanium job goes smoothly: the tool, the coolant, the setup, and the order of operations.
Cutting strategy
Tools, coolant, and speeds picked for titanium, not adapted from steel
Titanium wants sharp edges and high pressure. We run uncoated or AlTiN carbide at lower surface speed than steel, with through-tool coolant at high pressure. Chips clear the flutes instead of recutting, and the heat leaves with the chip.
Trochoidal paths and constant engagement keep radial load steady. That reduces the shock that chips a corner.
- 1RoughingHigh-feed paths leave stock for one finishing pass.
- 2CoolantHigh-pressure through-tool delivery on every titanium job.
- 3Tool lifeEdges changed on a counter, not on a hunch.
Setup and sequence
Stress relief and 5-axis setups that hold thin walls
Thin titanium walls move after every cut. On parts with 0.8 mm walls we sequence roughing, an intermediate stress relief where the print allows, then finishing with light passes. A rotary table lets us reach five faces in one setup, so the part is not re-clamped and re-datumed four times.
For long parts up to 4,000 mm, we use machines with 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm travel. Datum stays consistent from the first op to the last.
- 1One setup, five facesØ400 mm rotary table on 5-axis centers.
- 2Wall control0.8 mm walls finished with light, even passes.
- 3Long partsUp to 4,000 mm without re-datuming.
Selection guide
Which machining route fits your part
Pick the process by geometry and quantity, not by habit.
| Part geometry | Recommended route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Prismatic bracket, 3 faces | 3-axis milling | Few setups, lowest cost per part |
| Impeller or bladed disk | 5-axis simultaneous | Continuous tool engagement, no re-clamp |
| Shaft with cross holes | Mill-turn center | Turning and milling in one setup |
| Thin-wall housing | 5-axis with stress relief | Holds 0.8 mm walls without bowing |
| One-off prototype | 3-axis or 5-axis, no MOQ | No tooling cost, ships in 3–5 days |
| 10,000+ part run | 5-axis with dedicated fixtures | Repeatable datum, stable cycle time |
| Deep pocket, long reach | 5-axis with high-pressure coolant | Controls chatter and tool wear |
| Tight bore, Ra 0.4 μm | Mill-turn plus fine boring | Finish achieved in the cut, less polishing |
What we do
Machining and finishing services for titanium parts
Everything from the first prototype to a production run, under one roof in Dongguan and Singapore.
01
5-Axis CNC Machining
Sixteen simultaneous 5-axis centers cut complex titanium geometry in one setup. Good for impellers, housings, and parts with compound angles.
02
CNC Milling & Turning
Three-axis, four-axis, and mill-turn capacity covers prismatic parts and turned shafts. Sixteen mill-turn centers handle parts that need both.
03
Rapid Prototyping
One part, no minimum order. We quote in 12 hours and can start production within 24 hours of approval.
04
Surface Finishing
Bead blasting, tumbling, brushing, polishing, and laser marking. Titanium finishes to Ra 0.2–0.8 μm where the print calls for it.
05
Inspection & Reports
100% inspection before shipment: raw material check, in-process monitoring, final inspection. Reports on request.
06
Material Sourcing
We stock and machine TA1, TA2, and TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V). Mill certificates travel with the parts.
Capability envelope
Titanium machining specifications
Numbers we hold on production titanium work.
| Parameter | Capability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tolerance | ±0.005 mm (±0.0002 in) | On critical features, CMM verified |
| Fine finish | Ra 0.2–0.8 μm | Where the print calls it out |
| Standard finish | Ra 0.8–1.6 μm | Default on machined surfaces |
| As-machined | Ra 1.6–3.2 μm | Non-critical faces |
| Maximum part length | 4,000 mm | 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm travel |
| Medium travel | 750 × 1,150 × 550 mm | And 600 × 600 × 600 mm |
| Compact travel | 500 × 500 × 450 mm | And 500 × 310 × 200 mm |
| Rotary table | Ø400 mm | Indexed and simultaneous |
| Minimum order | No MOQ | One prototype to 10,000+ parts |
| Quotation | Within 12 hours | Includes free DFM analysis |
Why GreatLight
Fifteen years of titanium work, measured not claimed
We are a factory, not a broker. Three plants, 127 machines, and a team that has cut this alloy since 2011.
15Y
Machining since 2011
Fifteen years of production work in Dongguan, plus a Singapore factory at No.3 Joo Koon Circle. Titanium is a standing process, not a special request.
±0.005
Tolerance we hold
Micron-level work on critical features, with CMM verification and reports on request. Not a best-case number.
127
High-precision CNC machines
Sixteen simultaneous 5-axis centers, twelve four-axis mills, twenty-seven three-axis machines, sixteen mill-turn centers.
99.99%
Qualification rate
Every part inspected before shipment. Raw material, in-process, and final checks all recorded.
12h
Quote turnaround
Quotation and free DFM analysis within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours of approval.
7,600 m²
Manufacturing space
Three wholly-owned plants and 150 technicians. No outsourced operations, no middleman markup.
15 yearsIn business
150Technicians
3Wholly-owned plants
<2%Historical late-delivery rate
Industry requirements
What each industry demands, and what we deliver
Aerospace brackets
Weight and traceability drive every decision on these parts.
- ±0.005 mm
- 4,000 mm travel
- Mill certs
Medical instruments
Clean surfaces and repeatability matter more than cycle time.
- Ra 0.2–0.8 μm
- ISO 13485
- 100% inspection
Automotive and EV parts
Volume runs need a stable datum and a repeatable cycle.
- IATF 16949
- 10,000+ parts
- No MOQ
Industrial components
Long parts and deep pockets test rigidity above all else.
- Ø400 mm rotary
- 5-axis
- 16 centers
FAQs
Questions engineers ask about titanium machining
Is Grade 5 the same as Ti-6Al-4V and UNS R56400?
Yes. Grade 5, Ti-6Al-4V, and UNS R56400 describe the same alpha-beta titanium alloy. Grade 6Al 4V is the same material written a different way.
The chemistry is 6% aluminum, 4% vanadium, balance titanium. The naming comes from different standards bodies, not from different alloys.
What is the difference between Grade 5 and Grade 23?
Grade 23 (Ti-6Al-4V ELI) is the extra-low-interstitial version. Oxygen, nitrogen, and iron are held tighter.
It has slightly better fracture toughness at low temperature. For most room-temperature structural parts, Grade 5 is enough and costs less.
What tolerance can you actually hold on titanium?
±0.005 mm (±0.0002 in) on critical features, verified on a CMM. That requires stable setups and temperature control, not just a good machine.
On non-critical faces we work to looser tolerances. Over-tightening the whole print adds cost for no benefit.
How do you stop thin walls from springing back?
Sequence. Rough, relieve stress where the print allows, then finish with light even passes. Clamp lightly and support the wall from behind.
One setup on a 5-axis center avoids the re-clamping that causes most of the movement.
What surface finish can you get without hand polishing?
Ra 0.8–1.6 μm comes off the machine as standard. Ra 0.2–0.8 μm is achievable on the surfaces that need it, often with fine boring or a controlled finishing pass.
Specify the finish only on functional faces. A blanket Ra 0.4 μm callout over the whole part is where polishing time quietly doubles.
Do you machine titanium prototypes without a minimum order?
We have no minimum order quantity. One prototype and a 10,000-part run go through the same quoting process.
Quotes and free DFM analysis come back within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours of approval.
How do you handle inspection and material traceability?
Every part is inspected before shipment, with raw material checks, in-process monitoring, and final inspection recorded.
Inspection reports are available on request, and mill certificates follow the material.
Can you sign an NDA before I send drawings?
An NDA is available on request. Uploads are handled as confidential, and access inside the plant is limited to the team on your job.
We hold ISO 27001:2022 for information security, alongside ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, and ISO 13485:2016.
Send your titanium drawing and get a quote in 12 hours
Upload the model and print. We return a quotation with free DFM analysis, then hold ±0.005 mm through the run.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum orderNDA on request
