What are aluminum alloys used in the aerospace industry?
The most widely consumed aluminium alloys in aerospace industries are the Al-Cu alloys (2xxx series), Al-Zn alloys (7xxx series) and Al-Li alloys. 2xxx series alloys are mainly used where high damage tolerance and fracture toughness are essential features.
Why is aluminum alloy a good structural material for aircraft?
When alloyed with other materials, aluminum exhibits many additional properties beneficial to flight, such as stress corrosion cracking resistance and high tensile strength. Aluminum sheet & plate is as strong as steel at a fraction of the weight.
What are the alloys used in aircraft parts?
The most popular aluminum alloys used in the fabrication of aerospace parts include:
- Aluminum alloy 7075 (aluminum/zinc)
- Aluminum alloy 7475-02 (aluminum/zinc/magnesium/silicon/chromium)
- Aluminum alloy 6061 (aluminum/magnesium/silicon)
What alloy is used in 737 wings?
Indeed, the very popular Boeing 737 consists of 80% aluminium. Virtually no part of a plane that can be substituted with aluminium is spared in the modern era with parts such as the fuselage, the wings, the doors, the floors, and the seats, now all being made of aluminium.
Which metal is used for aerospace?
Aerospace Material Common aerospace materials include stainless steel, titanium and copper/brass alloys. They are designed to be strong and resistant to corrosion, as well as maintain their integrity in any temperature. These steel alloys are available in sheets, wire, bars, plate and other standard forms.
What is the most common aluminum metal used in aircraft?
The 6061 aluminum alloy is common in light aircraft, especially homemade ones. Easily welded and manipulated, 6061 is very light and fairly strong, making it ideal for fuselage and wings.
Where is aluminium used in aircraft?
The Boeing 737, the best-selling jet commercial airliner which has made air travel for the masses a reality, is 80% aluminum. Today’s planes use aluminum in the fuselage, the wing panes, the rudder, the exhaust pipes, the door and floors, the seats, the engine turbines, and the cockpit instrumentation.
Why are aluminium alloys used in aircraft instead of pure aluminium?
Aluminum is the perfect material to use when manufacturing airplanes, thanks in part to its unique properties and characteristics. It’s strong, lightweight, predictable and inexpensive. Steel and iron are both stronger than aluminum, but strength alone isn’t enough to justify its use in aerospace manufacturing.
Why is an alloy of aluminium used for making planes instead of pure aluminium?
Aluminium alloys are used extensively in aircraft due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. On the other hand, pure aluminium metal is much too soft for such uses, and it does not have the high tensile strength that is needed for airplanes and helicopters.
What does T6 mean in aluminum?
Solution heat treated and artificially aged
T6 – Solution heat treated and artificially aged. T7 – Solution heat treated and stabilized (overaged). T8 – Solution heat treated, cold worked and artificially aged. T9 – Solution heat treated, artificially aged and cold worked.