Titanium Clad Copper Manufacturing Process and Production Workflow

Why Engineers Worldwide Choose High Performance Ti-Cu Bimetal Composite Bars?

With the growing demand for high conductivity and corrosion-resistant materials in electroplating, electrolysis, power systems, and chemical processing industries, Titanium Clad Copper (Ti/Cu) has become one of the fastest-growing and most searched conductive materials on Google.

Here is the complete production process, detailing how titanium clad copper is manufactured and why it has become a preferred material for industrial applications.

1. What Is Titanium Clad Copper?

Titanium Clad Copper is a bimetal composite material created by bonding pure titanium (Grade 1 or Grade 2) with a high-conductivity copper core (C11000 / T2). It combines:

· The corrosion resistance of titanium

· The electrical conductivity of copper

· Long service life in harsh chemical or electrochemical environments

· Stable mechanical strength and excellent machinability

Common industry names include:

Titanium Clad Copper Bar, Titanium Copper Busbar, Titanium Clad Copper Rod, Titanium Clad Copper Flat Bar, Titanium Copper Composite Rod, Ti-Cu Bimetal Bar, Explosion Bonded Titanium Clad Copper, and Titanium Copper Conductor Bar.

2. Titanium Clad Copper Manufacturing Process

Producing high-quality titanium clad copper requires precision bonding technology and multiple forming processes. Below is the typical manufacturing workflow used by leading factories.

Step 1: Material Preparation and Surface Treatment

Titanium (Gr1/Gr2) and copper (C11000/T2) are cleaned and prepared using:

· Degreasing

· Mechanical surface roughening

· Oxide removal

· Sanding or brushing

· Strict dryness control

This ensures an active bonding surface free from contamination.

Step 2: Explosion Bonding or Hot Rolling Composite

• Explosion Bonding (Explosive Welding)

A high-energy metallurgical bonding process widely used for Titanium Copper Composite Bars.

Advantages include:

• Extremely strong metallurgical interface

• No delamination

• Ideal for thick composite billets

• Hot Rolling Bonding / Vacuum Diffusion Bonding

Suitable for continuous production. Benefits:

• Uniform titanium layer

• Stable bonding strength

• Ideal for thin titanium cladding

These processes form the initial Ti-Cu composite block.

Step 3: Hot Extrusion or Hot Forging

The bonded billet is extruded or forged into:

• Titanium Clad Copper Rod

• Titanium Clad Copper Bar

• Titanium Copper Busbar

• Titanium Composite Flat Bar

• Custom conductor profiles

This step increases density, improves bonding quality, and shapes the product.

Step 4: Cold Drawing, Straightening, and Precision Sizing

After forming, the bars go through:

• Repeated cold drawing

• Straightening

• Dimensional calibration

• Surface finishing

This stage ensures accurate tolerance, smooth surfaces, and consistent titanium layer thickness.

Step 5: CNC Machining and Custom Fabrication

Most customers search for customized titanium clad copper components, so advanced machining capabilities are essential.

Typical processing includes:

• CNC drilling

• Thread tapping

• Milling slots

• End-face machining

• Bending and forming

• Welding titanium end caps

These customized Ti-Cu conductor bars are widely used in plating racks, anode systems, power distribution, and electrochemical equipment.

Step 6: Surface Treatment

To enhance corrosion resistance and appearance:

• Polishing

• Brushed finishing

• Pickling and passivation

• Sandblasting

• This ensures a protective, defect-free titanium surface.

Step 7: Inspection and Quality Control

Before shipment, titanium clad copper undergoes strict inspection:

• Ultrasonic Testing (UT)

• Eddy Current Testing (ET)

• Dye Penetrant Testing (PT)

• Tensile and peel-strength tests

• Titanium layer thickness measurement

• Dimensional accuracy inspection

These tests ensure the product meets industrial standards and long-term application requirements.

4. Other Available Composite Materials

Besides Titanium Clad Copper, we also supply other bimetal composite materials for different industrial applications, such as:

• Titanium Clad Aluminum (Ti/Al)

• Stainless Steel Clad Copper (SS/Cu)

• Zirconium Clad Copper (Zr/Cu)

• Niobium Clad Copper (Nb/Cu)

• Titanium Clad Stainless Steel (Ti/SS)

These materials are used in special environments requiring unique combinations of conductivity, corrosion resistance, and mechanical strength.