Processing of titanium-alloy billet for improved ultrasonic inspectability

A method for processing a starting workpiece of a titanium-base alloy, comprising the steps of:

• providing a starting workpiece of a titanum-base alloy having a temperature-composition phase diagram with a beta region and an alpha-beta region separated by a beta transus temperature;
• first forging the starting workpiece at a first temperature above the beta transus temperature in the beta region to form a billet;
• thereafter
• second forging the billet at a second temperature below the beta transus temperature in the alpha-beta region;
• thereafter
• third forging the billet at a third temperature above the beta transus temperature in the beta region;
• and thereafter
• fourth forging the billet at a fourth temperature below the beta transus temperature in the alpha-beta region, with a reduction in cross-sectional area from more than 0 to about 40 percent.

A method for processing a starting workpiece of a titanium-base alloy, comprising the steps of:

• providing a starting workpiece of a titanum-base alloy having a temperature-composition phase diagram with a beta region and an alpha-beta region separated by a beta transus temperature;
• first forging the starting workpiece at a first temperature above the beta transus temperature in the beta region to form a billet;
• thereafter
• second forging the billet at a second temperature below the beta transus temperature in the alpha-beta region;
• thereafter
• third forging the billet at a third temperature above the beta transus temperature in the beta region;
• thereafter
• fourth forging the billet at a fourth temperature below the beta transus temperature in the alpha-beta region, wherein the step of fourth forging accomplishes a reduction in cross-sectional area of from about 0 to about 40 percent;
• and thereafter
• ultrasonic testing the billet.

A method for processing a starting workpiece of a titanium-base alloy, comprising the steps of:

• providing a starting workpiece of a titanum-base alloy having a temperature-composition phase diagram with a beta region and an alpha-beta region separated by a beta transus temperature;
• first forging the starting workpiece at a first temperature above the beta transus temperature in the beta region to form a billet;
• thereafter
• second forging the billet at a second temperature below the beta transus temperature in the alpha-beta region;
• thereafter
• third forging the billet at a third temperature above the beta transus temperature in the beta region;
• and thereafter
• ultrasonic testing the billet, there being no forging of the billet in the alpha-beta region after the step of third forging and before the step of ultrasonic testing.