Producing basal textured Ti--6Al--4V sheet

The conditions under which Ti-6Al-4V sheet with a strong basal plane texture can be produced on a commercial basis were determined. Texture development during all stages of processing starting with the forged sheet bar was followed using pole figures. The influences of sheet bar forging temperature, rolling temperature, rolling procedures, and prior texture were examined. The deformation mechanisms by which a basal plane texture can form are discussed and it is shown that (1120) slip principally on (1010) prism planes can account for it. To demonstrate that texture can be controlled on a production basis, two 1.2 m x 2.4 m x 1.5 mm sheets from each of six heats of Ti-6Al-4V were rolled with a uniform basal plane texture