Polishing Titanium

Unlike titanium buffing, which uses a cloth or non-aggressive media wheel to gently tumble a titanium part’s surface, titanium polishing uses abrasives to smooth a titanium part’s surface in preparation for additional finishing services. These two processes are often confused, but titanium polishing comes first and utilizes tools like wheels, belts, and abrasive media to rid the part’s surface of materials, much like how wood is sanded before paint or finish can be applied. After the titanium part has been polished, additional finishing services like buffing can be employed to perfect the appearance and achieve the desired finish.

Since the titanium finishing process incorporates tools and an abrasive media in different ways, several techniques can be used to polish the titanium part. Processes like mass finishing and tumbling, where multiple small parts are finished simultaneously, and bead blasting incorporate tiny projectiles as an abrasive technique. The process recommended for polishing a titanium part will depend on several factors, including the size and complexity of the part, the client’s specifications, and application, and the number of parts to be polished.

Since titanium is one of the strongest metals, it is widely used in many industries. This fact makes titanium finishing a valuable and popular service for manufacturers who produce parts for automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturing, medical, and many other industries. No matter the size, shape, or desired finish of a titanium part, titanium polishing is the first step in preparing the part for additional finishing services.