Titanium Alloy Simulation Patent Landscape 2026
The titanium alloy simulation field is in active growth, with annual filings rising steadily and 88% expansion recorded in the recent window. ATI Properties Inc. holds the single largest position, but Chinese universities and aerospace institutes are rapidly closing the gap.
ATI Properties leads a fragmented field dominated by Chinese academic filers
ATI Properties Inc. ranks first with 19 patent records, nearly double the second-ranked Titanium Metals Corp. at 9, establishing a clear but not insurmountable lead. The top five filers account for 28% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers, signaling a moderately fragmented competitive landscape rather than a tightly consolidated one.
Below the top two commercial players, the ranking is densely populated by Chinese universities — Northwestern Polytechnical University (8), Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (6), and National Cheng Kung University (6) — reflecting a strong institutional research base that could convert into industrial patents in coming years.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ATI Properties Inc. | 19 | |
| 2 | Titanium Metals Corp. | 9 | |
| 3 | Northwestern Polytechnical University | 8 | |
| 4 | NANJING UNIV OF AERONAUTICS & ASTRONAUTICS | 6 | |
| 5 | National Cheng Kung University | 6 | |
| 6 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 4 | |
| 7 | Beihang University | 4 | |
| 8 | China Erzhong Group Deyang Wanhang Die Forging Co. Ltd. | 3 | |
| 9 | Dalian Maritime University | 3 | |
| 10 | Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics | 3 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Yanshan University | 3 | |
| 12 | Beijing Institute of Technology | 3 | |
| 13 | Tianjin University of Technology | 3 | |
| 14 | HUAZHONG UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 3 | |
| 15 | Changsha University of Science and Technology | 3 | |
| 16 | Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 3 | |
| 17 | Lovely Professional University | 2 | |
| 18 | CHINA UNIV OF MINING & TECH | 2 | |
| 19 | General Electric Company | 2 | |
| 20 | Northwestern Polytechnical University Chongqing Science and Innovation Center | 2 |
ATI Properties’ concentration in alloy composition and non-ferrous metal treatment (C22C, C22F) contrasts sharply with the simulation-focused digital data processing (G06F) emphasis of Chinese universities, suggesting two distinct innovation clusters within the same topic: materials IP versus computational process IP.
Filings from 2025 and 2026 are under-counted due to standard patent publication lag and should not be read as a slowdown; the growth trend is best assessed through 2024 data. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings accelerating since 2020, underpinned by digital simulation methods
The annual filing trend and technology composition charts together reveal a field that moved from negligible activity before 2020 to sustained high-volume output, with computational methods firmly at the core.
Annual filing trend
Filings were minimal from 2017 through 2019 (1–3 records per year), then jumped sharply from 2020 onward, reaching 23 records in 2024. The 2025 and 2026 figures are materially understated by publication lag and should be treated as lower bounds, not trend reversals.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
G06F (electric digital data processing) dominates at 93 records, reflecting the simulation-first nature of the corpus. C22C (alloys) at 48 and C22F (non-ferrous metal treatment) at 33 confirm that process-informed materials IP remains substantial. G16C (computational chemistry) at 30 and G06N (AI-based computing) at 13 signal growing adoption of physics-based and machine-learning simulation approaches.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Modeling method and system of crystal plasticity f…
The invention relates to the technical field of metal material processing engineering, discloses a full-automatic full-process modeling method and system of crystal plasticity finite element model for laser welding weld, which adopts MATLAB to call ABAQUS and PYTHON for co-simulation programming. In this text, a full-automatic modeling method of the crystal… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biocompatible low modulus titanium alloy for medic… | 104 |
| 2 | Method for the manufacture of alpha-beta Ti-Al-V-M… | 23 |
| 3 | 结合有限元数值模拟程序的钛合金锻造工艺参数优化方法 | 18 |
| 4 | 钛合金整体叶盘等温锻造工艺的优化方法 | 17 |
| 5 | 基于有限元分析的钛合金疲劳裂纹两阶段全寿命预测方法 | 16 |
| 6 | 一种基于数值模拟的钛合金锻造工艺优化方法 | 15 |
| 7 | 一种冲击载荷下Ti/CFRP层合板结构的数值模拟方法 | 10 |
| 8 | 一种TC4钛合金焊接熔池固态相变的模拟方法 | 9 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural signals — lifecycle stage, concentration, collaboration patterns, and geographic reach — together frame where risk and opportunity sit for teams entering or expanding in this space.
Growth stage: annual filings still rising
The field is classified as Growth, with annual filings still rising and recent-window expansion of 88%. Early movers are still establishing positions, and the corpus of 104 patent families indicates that comprehensive freedom-to-operate is achievable for well-scoped entrants. The window for foundational filing is open but narrowing.
Growth stageModerate fragmentation with a two-player commercial lead
The top five filers hold 28% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating meaningful but not extreme concentration. ATI Properties Inc. and Titanium Metals Corp. hold the strongest commercial positions, while the remainder of the top ten is composed of universities whose patents may be more easily licensed. Challengers have clear room to establish differentiated portfolios.
Moderate fragmentationUniversity–industry co-filing concentrated in Chinese aerospace ecosystem
Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics and Beijing Institute of Technology are the most active co-filers, with three joint records. Northwestern Polytechnical University co-files with its own Chongqing Science and Innovation Center. Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics has co-filed with both Tianjin Aerospace Changzheng Rocket Manufacturing and Beihang University, linking academic simulation capability directly to aerospace manufacturing. These collaborations suggest that industrial access to university simulation IP flows primarily through partnership agreements.
Academic–industrial linksChina dominates filings; U.S. and European coverage is thin
China accounts for 90 patent records, compared with 10 in the United States and 9 via the EPO, creating a pronounced geographic asymmetry. India (6) and Australia (5) show secondary but non-trivial activity. PCT filings number only 3, suggesting most applicants are not yet pursuing broad multinational protection — leaving protection gaps in key manufacturing jurisdictions outside China that could be exploited by non-Chinese entrants.
China-concentratedGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics | Beijing Institute of Technology | 3 |
| Northwestern Polytechnical University | Northwestern Polytechnical University Chongqing Science and Innovation Center | 1 |
| Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics | Tianjin Aerospace Changzheng Rocket Manufacturing Co. Ltd. | 1 |
| Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics | Beihang University | 1 |
| Yanshan University | China Erzhong Group Deyang Wanhang Die Forging Co. Ltd. | 1 |
| Beihang University | Tianjin Aerospace Changzheng Rocket Manufacturing Co. Ltd. | 1 |
| Beihang University | AVIC Beijing Aeronautical Manufacturing Technology Research Institute | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
ATI Properties anchors the commercial tier; Chinese universities are the fastest-moving challengers
The top two commercial players focus on alloy composition and metallurgical process IP, while Chinese universities are building portfolios squarely in computational simulation methods — a strategic divergence that defines two coexisting competitive arenas.
ATI Properties Inc.
ATI Properties Inc. leads with 19 patent records, concentrated in alloy composition (C22C) and non-ferrous metal treatment (C22F), with one forging and hammering (B21J) record. Its portfolio reflects a materials-science-first simulation approach tied to process optimization rather than pure digital modeling. Momentum data is not separately reported for ATI in the recent-period breakdown, indicating its position is established rather than newly surging.
patent records: 19Northwestern Polytechnical University
Northwestern Polytechnical University holds 8 patent records and is flagged as a new entrant in the recent filing period, with 5 recent records, indicating that its portfolio is being built almost entirely in the current growth wave. Its technology focus is exclusively in G06F digital data processing sub-classes, covering finite-element and numerical simulation workflows — directly complementing aerospace manufacturing partners.
patent records: 8| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Polytechnical University | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches in AI simulation and powder metallurgy warrant monitoring
Several IPC classes appear in the corpus at low density relative to the dominant G06F core, representing areas where existing simulation expertise could be extended with limited direct competition.
G06N · AI and machine-learning simulation models
G06N (computing based on AI models) appears in only 13 patent records — 5% of the corpus — despite the heavy G06F base that already underpins the field. Integrating machine-learning surrogate models with conventional finite-element titanium alloy simulation is a technically plausible next step, and the sparse filing density means entry positions could be established without displacing existing dominant filers. Teams with existing G06F or G16C portfolios are best placed to extend into this branch.
Search this in Eureka →B22F · Powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing
B22F (powder metallurgy) and the adjacent B33Y (additive manufacturing) each appear in only 3 patent records, despite titanium alloys being a primary material for metal additive manufacturing. Simulation of powder-bed fusion and directed energy deposition processes for titanium is an active engineering challenge, yet the patent coverage is minimal. Changsha University of Science and Technology is the sole filer active in both branches simultaneously, leaving room for industrial entrants to build defensible positions in process simulation for additive manufacturing of titanium components.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | G06F 30 · Electric digital data processing | G06F 119 · Electric digital data processing | C22C 14 · Alloys | G06F 111 · Electric digital data processing | C22F 1 · Non-ferrous metal treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATI Properties Inc. | Absent | Absent | Strong · 19 | Absent | Strong · 15 |
| Northwestern Polytechnical University | Strong · 9 | Strong · 7 | Absent | Strong · 8 | Absent |
| Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Moderate · 3 | Absent |
| Titanium Metals Corp. | Absent | Absent | Strong · 9 | Absent | Moderate · 3 |
| National Cheng Kung University | Absent | Absent | Strong · 5 | Absent | Strong · 5 |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Strong · 4 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Moderate · 1 | Absent |
| Dalian Maritime University | Strong · 3 | Strong · 3 | Absent | Strong · 3 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus contains 104 patent families in scope. Activity was negligible before 2020 and has grown significantly since, with annual filings reaching 23 records in 2024 before publication lag affects the 2025–2026 figures.
ATI Properties Inc. leads with 19 patent records, almost double the second-ranked Titanium Metals Corp. at 9. The top five filers together account for 28% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers.
G06F (electric digital data processing) is the dominant branch at 93 patent records, followed by C22C (alloys) at 48, C22F (non-ferrous metal treatment) at 33, and G16C (computational chemistry) at 30. These four branches define the technical core of the field.
China accounts for 90 patent records, making it the overwhelming lead jurisdiction. The United States has 10 records and the EPO has 9. India (6), Australia (5), and Israel (4) follow at a distance. PCT filings number only 3, indicating limited pursuit of broad multinational protection.
Yes. The field is in a Growth lifecycle stage, with annual filings rising and 88% expansion recorded in the recent window. The 2025 and 2026 filing counts are understated due to publication lag and should be treated as lower bounds rather than evidence of any slowdown.
The most active co-filing pair is Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics and Beijing Institute of Technology, with 3 joint patent records. Several Chinese aerospace universities — Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Beihang University — have also co-filed with aerospace manufacturing entities including Tianjin Aerospace Changzheng Rocket Manufacturing and the China Aviation Manufacturing Technology Research Institute, linking academic simulation research to industrial process applications.
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