Ti64 and Grade 2 titanium powder are not interchangeable. Ti64 means Ti-6Al-4V, an aluminum- and vanadium-alloyed titanium route; Grade 2 is commercially pure (CP) titanium. Start with the material specified on the drawing, then check the service conditions and the qualified printing route before selecting powder.
Short answer
For a strength-to-weight-driven part, review Ti6Al4V Grade 5 powder first. When the design calls for commercially pure titanium, review CP Grade 2 powder. Neither choice proves corrosion compatibility, fatigue life, or finished-part acceptance on its own.
| Buyer question | Ti64 / Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5 | CP titanium Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Material identity | Titanium alloy containing aluminum and vanadium | Unalloyed titanium with controlled residual and interstitial elements |
| First design question | Does the part need this alloy’s structural strength-to-weight basis? | Does the specification require CP titanium and is its strength sufficient? |
| Chemistry review | Confirm Grade 5 rather than assuming an ELI / Grade 23 requirement | Confirm Grade 2 rather than treating all CP grades as equivalent |
| Service review | Load, fatigue, temperature, surface condition and corrosion environment | Media, concentration, temperature, load and final surface condition |
| Powder review | Lot chemistry, measured PSD, morphology, powder history and machine compatibility | The same checks against the agreed CP Grade 2 specification |
| Next step | Grade 5 powder specifications and RFQ | Grade 2 powder specifications and RFQ |
Confirm the grade before comparing powder quotations
Grade names are only a starting point. ASTM B348/B348M-25 distinguishes unalloyed Grade 2 (UNS R50400) from Grade 5 Ti-6Al-4V (UNS R56400), but its scope is bars and billets. Wrought-product requirements or mechanical values must not be presented as a powder certificate or as guaranteed LPBF part properties.
For a Ti-6Al-4V powder-bed-fused component, ASTM F2924-14(2021) provides a component specification framework. Confirm the edition and supplementary requirements called out by the purchaser. For a CP titanium project, establish its own material and part acceptance basis; do not transfer the Ti64 framework by changing the alloy name.
If the drawing specifies Ti64 ELI, use the Grade 23 vs Grade 5 comparison and Grade 23 powder route. Grade 23 is a Ti-6Al-4V route, not a CP titanium grade.
Match the powder to the actual AM process
An alloy match does not establish process compatibility. State LPBF, electron beam PBF, or DED explicitly, together with the machine and the approved or proposed parameter route. Use the LPBF particle-size guide when evaluating a laser powder-bed purchase.
Compare the measured PSD and its test method, not just a nominal sieve cut. Request lot chemistry, oxygen and other specified interstitial results, available morphology evidence, and the powder’s virgin or reused condition. Define sampling, packaging and change-notification requirements before accepting a repeat supply lot.
Separate the service decision from powder acceptance
For a loaded bracket, the remaining questions include build orientation, defects, heat treatment, machining, surface finish and the required mechanical test basis. For fluid-contact hardware, name the media, concentration, temperature and cleaning conditions; “titanium corrosion resistance” is not a complete compatibility assessment.
A change from Grade 5 to Grade 2, or the reverse, requires design and process review. A satisfactory powder COA does not approve the substitution or qualify an aerospace structure, chemical component or medical device.
Request the right titanium powder
Include the exact grade and specification, process and machine, target PSD, required chemistry limits, quantity, destination and qualification stage. Request the proposed lot COA, PSD report, TDS/SDS and available SEM or morphology evidence. If the grade is not yet fixed, describe the application and the unresolved requirement rather than selecting an arbitrary grade.
Request Ti64 Grade 5 powder or request CP Grade 2 titanium powder. Each link carries the selected powder into the RFQ; final suitability and supply details remain subject to technical review.