Abstract Tantalum materials have been used in electronic, chemical processing, and other industries for many years. Solid tantalum shapes are readily produced using conventional ingot metallurgy followed by thermomechanical processing. Alloying tantalum with tungsten improves mechanical strength as well as corrosion resistance without degrading the other physical properties of pure tantalum. Improvements in fabrication and inspection techniques have pushed tantalum fabrications into applications were long term chemical stability and moderate strength are important. Since it is a reactive metal, certain precautions are necessary when fabricating tantalum components. This paper will discuss the processing, design and fabrication, and some failure analyses of tantalum components.