Materials such as metal alloys or carbon fiber, help increase the performance of aircraft and reduce transportation costs.
Due to their high strength, fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, low weight, and load-bearing properties, they are often used as a building material in the aerospace sector.
The key to building long-lasting and high-performing custom components for aircraft projects is to choose the materials and alloys whose properties guarantee optimal performance under normal and extreme conditions alike.
The following sections describe the most popular alloys and materials used for the manufacturing of aircraft parts today.
They explain the various properties and most common applications of such materials.
This information is critical for anyone choosing the right material for their aircraft since the choice will directly affect the functionality, longevity, and safety of the craft.
One of the most sought-after materials for aircraft manufacturing is aluminum alloy since it combines both strength and lightweight properties.
Airplane components require lightweight but durable materials to resist various factors and forces affecting flight.
Its lightweight aspect is perhaps the most convincing argument for the use of aluminum alloys in building airplane structures.
Aluminum is ⅓ the weight of steel and in some cases comparable in strength.
Due to its lightweight nature, aircraft made of aluminum do not have to carry as much weight and so use less fuel during flight.
The different aluminum alloys that are used in manufacturing aircraft structures and components include:
The above alloys display the following properties and characteristics:
The most common aircraft applications that utilize aluminum alloys are as follows:
In short, aluminum alloys are preferred over other metals like steel in building airplane parts, structures, and other aerospace components because they weigh less and cost less while offering comparable strength and corrosion-resistant properties
High-strength steel includes multiphase and martensitic steels with a tensile strength range of 270 to 700 MPa (most commonly above 440 MPa).
Tensile and impact strength is a very important consideration for airplane engineering because of the rate of speed that aircraft travel.
Pebbles and small rocks traveling at high speeds can severely damage aircraft structures and components during flight.
Therefore, it is incumbent that particular areas of an airplane, specifically those that are exposed to high-speed objects, be reinforced with high-strength steel.
Tensile strength is not the only property that helps protect airplane structures and parts either.
Fatigue strength and toughness are also required to protect an aircraft from high-speed material and high-stress forces.
The good news is that high-strength steel has those two properties in abundance as well.
Different grades of high-strength steel can be used for manufacturing airplane parts but today the most widely used is alloy 41130.
Alloy 41130 adds an extra level of hardness to manufactured parts without adding any extra weight.
There are many properties of high-strength steel that are beneficial to aircraft manufacturing.
Most of them are related to material strength and wear and tear resistance.
The most beneficial of these properties include:
Aside from these properties, high-strength steel also exhibits a moderate degree of ductility and good levels of corrosion and heat resistance.
These properties have made high-strength steel an excellent choice for the following aircraft applications:
If an aircraft component requires good strength, a tough structure, and an ability to withstand high temperatures, then high-strength steel is the most logical manufacturing choice.
Titanium alloys are a mix of titanium and other elements like aluminum, vanadium, molybdenum, and niobium.
Titanium alloys are stronger than pure titanium, weigh less, have excellent heat-resistant properties, and therefore are suitable materials for building aircraft engines.
There are six grades of pure titanium and four different varieties of titanium alloys but the one that is used most of the time in the aerospace industry is titanium alloy grade five (Ti-6Al-4V).
This alloy exhibits three important properties required by aircraft engines and other aerospace applications: specific strength, heat resistance, and a low weight-to-strength ratio.
That being said, other titanium alloys can be used for other aircraft components as they all exhibit similar beneficial properties to some degree or other.
These include:
Still, titanium alloys are mostly used for engine components rather than other aircraft parts because they can withstand a tremendous amount of heat and pressure without adding weight to the engine, which results in less fuel consumption.
Specifically, titanium alloys tend to be used in the following aircraft engine parts:
However, titanium alloys can also be used for other airplane components, such as small fasteners and landing gear parts (specifically, hydraulic system components).
Titanium alloys are suitable for airplane engines since they can withstand the heat produced by them and do not add extra weight and load.
As such, they decrease the overall workload and fuel consumption.
Composites are made from two or more materials—usually plastics and carbon fibers.
Composite materials can overcome common metal manufacturing problems faced by the aerospace industry, specifically in the area of design.
They can be formed into different shapes and layered with fibers to allow for unique structures with enhanced properties.
These materials are so flexible that they can be used for both spacecraft and aircraft structures and components.
Their weight-to-strength ratio and high-temperature resistance have allowed aerospace engineers to develop more high-performing and economical aircraft that can fly faster while using less fuel.
The three most common composite materials used for aerospace manufacturing today are carbon fiber epoxy, glass epoxy, and aramid epoxy.
Of course, other composites can be used in aerospace applications such as boron epoxy but they are not as widely used as the aforementioned three.
The three main aerospace composites just mentioned all exhibit the following properties to a lesser or greater extent:
Due to the above properties, composites are now popularly used for the manufacturing of the following aircraft and aerospace applications:
Since they are so versatile and offer so many beneficial properties for aircraft they are often used in other aviation vehicles besides passenger airlines and spacecraft.
For example, they are often utilized for fighter planes, balloon gondolas, and glider structures and parts.
Another additional benefit of using composite material for aircraft components is that they can be recycled and so help reduce environmental pollution and manufacturing costs when aircraft are decommissioned.
Alloys that can keep their mechanical properties even at high temperatures that are near their melting points are called superalloys.
When metals are alloyed to become superalloys, no fixed melting point remains.
Aside from retaining their functionality at high melting points, superalloys also exhibit the following properties:
Out of the various kinds of superalloys that exist today, Inconel is by far the most commonly used for aircraft applications.
Inconel is primarily composed of chromium and iron, both of which have many properties conducive to the manufacturing of aircraft parts.
Its high heat-resistant properties—melting points of 2,350 °F (1,288 °C) to 2,460 °F (1,349 °C)—make it particularly useful for high-heat jet-engine applications.
When exposed to high heat, Inconel forms a heat-resistant layer (protective oxide layer) that makes it impervious to heat lower than its melting point range.
Aside from heat resistance, Inconel’s oxide layer also provides pressure resistance, oxidation resistance, and corrosion resistance.
This makes it even more useful for aerospace applications that operate in corrosive and high-pressure settings.
Since Inconel can withstand a tremendous amount of heat, pressure, and oxidation it has become an ideal material for the following aerospace applications:
Inconel offers numerous advantages over other metals when it comes to aerospace manufacturing since it not only can maintain its mechanical properties at high temperatures but it also can defend against corrosion and oxidation, which are both prevalent in aerospace and aircraft environments.
What is more, Inconel will not expand when exposed to high heat and exhibits high creep resistance in high-pressure environments, which means its structure remains stable during and after flight operations.
Carbon fiber, a strong and lightweight polymer, is an aerospace composite that can be combined with other composites or used as a standalone material for aircraft applications.
Carbon fiber helps create more lightweight, aerodynamic, and fuel-efficient aircraft bodies.
Its strength-to-weight ratio when compared to other metals is particularly notable.
Carbon fiber is five times stronger than steel but still weighs less.
This gives it an advantage over other materials in both cost (manufacturing & maintenance) and longevity.
The primary properties which make it conducive to aircraft manufacturing include:
The aforementioned properties allow carbon fiber to be used in a host of spacecraft and aircraft structures and components such as:
Almost all of the above properties help improve cabin airflow and since it can easily be formed into numerous shapes and sizes, space-efficient cabin designs can be created from it drastically increasing overall cabin space.
Carbon fiber’s ability to help create faster, lighter, and more fuel-efficient aircraft has also made it the primary candidate for the manufacturing of air taxi (flying car) components of the future.
Aerospace manufacturing requires materials that
can provide specific properties that can “hold up” in harsh environments.
In particular, aircraft and spacecraft components like engine parts need to run at temperatures above 3,000 °F (1,649 °C).
All of the metals and aerospace materials listed above can withstand such heat and offer even more beneficial properties such as corrosion resistance, high strength, and lightweight structures, all of which help aircraft fly faster, use less fuel, and not lose their mechanical properties and structural integrity under high stress.
However, each of the alloys and composites mentioned in this guide has particular characteristics that make them more suitable for specific aircraft and aerospace applications than others.
Therefore, before choosing any one of them it is advised to consult with an expert metal manufacturer as they will help you match the right material to your specific aircraft application.
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