TC18 Powder: The Ultimate Guide for 2025

Overview

TC18 powder is a high-strength β titanium alloy that excels in aerospace, automotive, and high-performance structural applications due to its superior strength, excellent toughness, and outstanding corrosion resistance.

This alloy consists of Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-1Cr-1Fe, which provides significantly higher strength and toughness compared to Ti-6Al-4V. Due to its high fatigue resistance, superior weldability, and excellent fracture toughness, TC18 is widely used in aircraft landing gear, structural components, and high-performance engineering applications.

Key Properties

✔ High strength-to-weight ratio, making it ideal for aerospace and defense applications
✔ Superior fatigue resistance, ensuring long-term durability
✔ Excellent oxidation and corrosion resistance, making it perfect for harsh environments
✔ High fracture toughness, improving reliability in critical applications
✔ Optimized for additive manufacturing, including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Direct Energy Deposition (DED)

This guide will explore:

• Best TC18 powder for 3D printing
• How to choose the right TC18 powder
• Top suppliers of TC18 powder
• Properties and industrial applications
• Production methods and cost analysis
• Comparing gas-atomized vs. plasma-atomized TC18 powder

Best TC18 Powder for 3D Printing in 2025

Why TC18 Powder is Ideal for Additive Manufacturing?

• High mechanical strength, making it perfect for aerospace and defense applications
• Superior fatigue and fracture toughness, ensuring durability under extreme conditions
• Excellent printability, reducing defects in LPBF and DED processes
• Corrosion and oxidation resistance, making it suitable for structural aircraft components

Key Factors for Selecting TC18 Powder for 3D Printing

• Spherical morphology for optimal powder flowability
• Controlled particle size distribution enhances printability and layer adhesion
• Low oxygen & impurity levels prevent oxidation defects
• Consistent mechanical properties post-processing

Comparison for Different 3D Printing Technologies

For high-performance 3D printing applications, Met3DP’s gas-atomized TC18 powder is the best choice. Learn more about Met3DP’s high-quality metal powders.

How to Choose the Right TC18 Powder

Selecting the best TC18 powder depends on several factors, including particle size distribution, atomization process, and application-specific requirements.

1. Particle Size Distribution (PSD)

• Fine powders (15-45µm) → Best for LPBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion)
• Medium powders (45-105µm) → Suitable for EBM & Binder Jetting
• Coarse powders (50-150µm) → Used in DED (Direct Energy Deposition)

2. Powder Morphology

• Spherical Powder → Best for 3D printing and powder bed fusion technologies
• Irregular Powder → Suitable for Binder Jetting & Sintering

3. Atomization Process

• Gas-Atomized Powder → High purity, excellent flowability, best for 3D printing
• Plasma-Atomized Powder → Ultra-high purity, best for specialized aerospace and high-performance applications

For high-precision 3D printing, Met3DP’s gas-atomized TC18 powder is the best choice. Contact Met3DP for more details.

Production Methods

The manufacturing process of TC18 powder directly influences its particle morphology, purity, and mechanical properties, which are critical for additive manufacturing, aerospace applications, and high-strength structural components.

Comparison of Production Methods

1. Gas Atomization (GA)

Process:

• TC18 alloy is melted and atomized using high-pressure inert gas (argon or nitrogen), rapidly cooling the droplets into fine, spherical particles.

Advantages:
✔ Highly spherical morphology, improving flowability and printability
✔ Low oxygen content, preventing oxidation defects
✔ Excellent particle size uniformity, ensuring consistent layer deposition in additive manufacturing

Best for: Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), Electron Beam Melting (EBM), and Direct Energy Deposition (DED)

2. Plasma Atomization (PA)

Process:

• TC18 wire is fed into a high-energy plasma torch, melting it into fine droplets that form highly spherical powder particles.

Advantages:
✔ Perfect spherical shape, ensuring superior flowability in powder bed fusion processes
✔ Ultra-high purity, making it ideal for aerospace and high-performance applications
✔ Minimal satellite particles, leading to superior print quality

Disadvantages:
✖ Higher production costs
✖ Limited scalability for large-scale production

Best for: High-performance aerospace landing gear and structural components

3. PREP (Plasma Rotating Electrode Process)

Process:

• A rotating TC18 electrode is melted by plasma while centrifugal force atomizes the molten material into fine spherical particles.

Advantages:
✔ Ultra-high purity, with minimal contamination
✔ Highly spherical morphology, leading to excellent flowability
✔ Minimal porosity, making it ideal for high-performance aerospace applications

Disadvantages:
✖ Very high cost
✖ Limited scalability

Best for: Aerospace landing gear, high-performance structural components requiring high purity

For high-quality 3D printing, Met3DP’s gas-atomized TC18 powder is the best choice. Explore Met3DP’s powder production solutions.

Cost Analysis in 2025

The cost of TC18 powder is influenced by factors such as production method, particle morphology, purity level, and application-specific requirements.

Factors Affecting Cost

1. Production Method – PREP and plasma-atomized powders are the most expensive, while gas-atomized powders offer a more balanced cost-performance ratio.
2. Particle Shape – Spherical powders (for AM) are more expensive than irregular powders.
3. Purity Level – Higher purity = Higher cost.
4. Market Demand – Increased demand from aerospace, defense, and high-performance applications influences pricing.

Estimated Price Ranges

For cost-effective, high-quality TC18 powder, Met3DP provides precision-engineered solutions tailored to industrial needs. Contact Met3DP for pricing and availability.

FAQ

Q1: What is the best TC18 powder for 3D printing?

Gas-atomized spherical TC18 powder is optimal for LPBF, EBM, and DED due to its excellent flowability and low oxygen content.

Q2: How does TC18 compare to Ti-6Al-4V?

TC18 offers superior strength, fatigue resistance, and fracture toughness, whereas Ti-6Al-4V is more commonly used for general aerospace and medical applications due to its balanced mechanical properties.

Q3: Can TC18 powder be used for aerospace applications?

Yes, TC18 is widely used in aircraft landing gear, aerospace structural components, and high-performance automotive applications due to its high strength and impact resistance.

Q4: Where can I buy high-quality TC18 powder?

Met3DP is a leading supplier of gas-atomized TC18 powder, optimized for 3D printing and high-performance applications. Contact Met3DP today!

Conclusion

It is an exceptional high-performance titanium alloy for aerospace, automotive, additive manufacturing, and high-strength structural applications. Choosing the right powder type, production method, and supplier ensures optimal performance and reliability.

Why Choose Met3DP’s TC18 Powder?

✅ Industry-leading gas atomization technology
✅ High-purity spherical powders for additive manufacturing
✅ Reliable supply chain & global distribution

For high-performance TC18 powder, Met3DP provides state-of-the-art solutions tailored to industrial demands.

Want to learn more or get a quote? Contact Met3DP today!