Abstract
This chapter begins with some of the general metallurgical considerations for aluminum alloys, along with an introduction to precipitation hardening, the main method of strengthening the aerospace structural alloys. It depicts a typical material distribution for a modern commercial airliner, which illustrates the heavy dominance of aluminum alloys. The attractiveness of aluminum is that it is a relatively low cost, light weight metal that can be heat treated to fairly high strength levels, and it is one of the more easily fabricated of the high performance materials, which usually results in lower costs. The advantages of aluminum as a high performance material have been summarized. The chapter then discusses the designation system and tempers for the various series of aluminum alloys. It discusses some of the specific alloys used for aerospace applications, primarily the 2XXX, 6XXX, 7XXX, and 8XXX aluminum-lithium alloys. It also discusses melting and primary fabrication, which are mill processes. The chapter deals with the main fabrication processes—heat treatment, forging, forming, casting, machining, and joining.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Structural Materials
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
