Titanium processing methods for ultrasonic noise reduction

A method for processing titanium into a titanium article, in which the titanium exhibits enhanced ultrasonic inspection characteristics for determining its acceptability in microstructurally sensitive titanium applications, the method for processing titanium comprising:

• providing titanium at a temperature above its β-transus temperature;
• quenching the titanium from a temperature above the β-transus temperature to form a microstructure in the titanium without colonies, the two phase microstructure comprising an α-plate phase having a hexagonal close packed crystal structure, where the α-plate thickness is less than 10 μm;
• and
• deforming the quenched titanium into a titanium article by applying an axial compressive strain to the quenched titanium, wherein the step of applying an axial compressive strain transforms the α-plate microstructure into discontinuous-randomly textured α particles without colonies;
• wherein the discontinuous-randomly textured α particles without colonies lead to a reduction in ultrasonic noise during ultrasonic inspection, the discontinuous-randomly textured α particles comprise grains sizes less than about 10 μm.