Wexmar offers CP Grade 2 titanium CNC machining for fittings, flanges, housings, fasteners and fluid-handling parts. Commercially pure Grade 2 is a common unalloyed titanium that pairs moderate strength with excellent corrosion resistance in seawater, chlorides and oxidizing chemicals, and it forms and welds more easily than alloyed grades. Our shop in Canastota, in Central New York, turns and mills Grade 2 from bar and plate for prototype and production orders.
Grade 2 titanium machinability
CP Grade 2 rates approximately 35 on the AISI 1212 = 100 scale, noticeably better than Grade 5 at about 22. It is softer and lower in strength, so cutting forces and abrasive wear are lower. The trade-off is behavior at the edge. Grade 2 is gummy, tends to smear and form built-up edge, and produces long, tough chips. It still shares titanium's poor thermal conductivity, so heat concentrates at the tool tip.
Because Grade 2 is often chosen for corrosion service rather than strength, drawings tend to call out smooth sealing faces, clean threads and burr-free ports. Those features, not raw metal removal, usually drive cycle time. We plan finish passes with fresh edges and keep roughing and finishing tools separate so a worn roughing insert never touches a sealing surface. Parts are handled with gloves and separated in packaging, since light scratches on soft CP titanium show readily and can matter on sanitary or sealing surfaces.
Typical tolerances and surface finish
Typical tolerances are plus or minus 0.0005 in. on turned diameters and plus or minus 0.001 in. on milled features. As-machined finish is typically 63 Ra, and 32 Ra is regularly achieved on turned sealing faces and bores with sharp tools and the correct feed. Soft CP titanium scratches during handling, so critical surfaces are protected between operations. These values are typical guidance, not guarantees.
Tooling and chip-control notes for CP titanium
Grade 2 cuts well with very sharp, polished positive-rake carbide and moderate surface speed. Dull edges rub, glaze the surface and generate heat that leads to galling. Specific practices on our floor include:
- High-pressure coolant through the tool to break and flush chips, particularly on Swiss machines running lights-out.
- Chipbreaker geometry chosen for gummy material, with peck cycles on deep holes.
- Thread milling or form tapping for clean threads, since cut taps can seize in CP titanium.
- Burr control built into the program, because soft Grade 2 throws ductile burrs at cross holes and edges.
- Chips kept wet and segregated to control fire risk and keep scrap clean for recycling.
Heat treat and finishing
CP titanium is not hardened by heat treatment. When a part needs stress relief after heavy material removal, or annealing after forming, it is arranged through qualified outside processors. Finish options include color or Type II anodize, passivation or pickling, and bead blasting, all through qualified outside processors. Many chemical-service parts ship as machined and cleaned, with no coating at all.
Common Grade 2 titanium parts
- Pipe fittings, flanges and adapters for chemical and seawater service: CNC lathes with live tooling
- Heat exchanger components, tube sheets and baffles: horizontal machining centers
- Small fasteners, pins and spacers up to 32 mm diameter: Swiss-type machines with bar feeders
- Anode and electrode hardware for electrochemical processes: lathes and horizontal mills
- Medical hardware components built to customer drawings
Cost index versus 6061 aluminum
| Material | Approx. machinability (1212 = 100) | Cost index vs 6061 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CP titanium Grade 2 | ~35 | 4.0 | Soft, gummy, corrosion resistant |
| Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) | ~22 | 5.0 | Higher strength alloy |
| 316 stainless | ~36 | 2.5 | Lower cost, heavier |
| 304 stainless | ~45 | 2.2 | General corrosion service |
| Monel 400 | ~20 | 5.0 | Nickel-copper, seawater |
| 6061-T6 aluminum | ~180 | 1.0 | Cost index baseline |
These numbers are typical and illustrative for a comparable part; actual quotes depend on geometry, quantity, tolerances and mill pricing.
Where CP titanium parts are used
Commercially pure titanium parts go into chemical processing, desalination and marine equipment, pumps and valves, instrumentation and medical hardware. We supply industrial OEMs and government build-to-print programs, with material certs and heat-lot traceability available and inspection documented through our quality process. When the application needs higher strength, compare Ti-6Al-4V.
Getting a quote
To price Grade 2 titanium parts, upload a drawing for an instant estimate or call (315) 400-2654. A human estimator confirms every quote and reviews the material specification and finish requirements before it is released.