Material Selection for Aerospace Applications

Darren Pyfer, P.E. Engineering Specialist Senior October 16, 2001

Agenda
Vought Aircraft Industries Corporate Overview Material Selection Criteria Material Types Material Forms Examples

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Vought Aircraft Industries Corporate Overview

Vought Company Overview

Largest Single Supplier of Aerostructures to Boeing: - Producing More of the 747 Structure Than Any Other Commercial Supplier for Boeing

- Producing More of the C-17 Structure Than Any Other Military Supplier for Boeing
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Vought Company Overview (cont.)

Largest Single Supplier of Aerostructures to Gulfstream Aerospace Designed and Build Integrated Wing System for the Gulfstream GV As a Risk-sharing Team Member

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Vought Company Overview (cont.)

Largest Single Supplier of Aerostructures to Northrop on the B-2 Stealth Bomber Program Designed and Built the Intermediate Wing Section of the B-2 Bomber including the Engine and Landing Gear Bays

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Vought Commercial Products

737 747

767

GV
777

757

CFM56
CF6

GIV
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HAWKER 800 CF34

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Vought Military Products

C-17

F/A-18E/F

E-8C/JSTARS

S-3

F-14

E-2C

P-3

EA-6B V-22
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T-38

Global Hawk

Vought Product Line Summary

Empennage Fuselage Doors 737 Wings Nacelle Control Comp Surfaces

747

757

767

777

GV

C-17

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Material Selection Criteria

Static Strength
Material Must Support Ultimate Loads Without
Failure. Material Must Support Limit Loads Without Permanent Deformation. Initial Evaluation for Each Component Usually Aluminum Is the Initial Material Selection If Aluminum Cannot Support the Applied Load Within the Size Limitation of the Component, Higher Strength Materials Must Be Considered (Titanium or Steel) If Aluminum Is Too Heavy to Meet the Performance Requirements, Graphite/Epoxy or Next Generation Materials Should Be Considered
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Stiffness
Deformation of Material at Limit Loads Must Not
Interfere With Safe Operation There Are Cases Where Meeting the Static Strength Requirement Results in a Component That Has Unacceptable Deflections If That Is the Case, The Component Is Said to Be a Stiffness Design

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Fatigue (Crack Initiation)

The Ability of a Material to Resist Cracking Under
Cyclical Loading Spectrum Dependant Stress Concentration Factors Component Is Limited to a Certain Stress Level Based on the Required Life of the Airframe Further Processing May Improve Fatigue Properties Such As Shot Peening or Cold Working

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Damage Tolerance (Crack Growth)

The Ability of a Material to Resist Crack Propagation
Under Cyclical Loading Slow Crack Growth Design Use of Alloys With Increased Fracture Toughness

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Weight
Low Weight Is Critical to Meeting Aircraft
Performance Goals Materials Are Tailored for Specific Requirements to Minimize Weight Materials With Higher Strength to Weight Ratios Typically Have Higher Acquisition Costs but Lower Life Cycle Costs (i.e. Lower Fuel Consumption)

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Corrosion
Surface Corrosion
Galvanic Corrosion of Dissimilar Metals (see Chart) Surface Treatments Proper Drainage

Stress Corrosion Cracking

Certain Alloys Are More Susceptible to Stress Corrosion Cracking (see Chart) Especially Severe in the Short Transverse Grain Direction

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Dissimilar Metal Chart

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Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) Chart

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Producibility
Commercial Availability Lead Times Fabrication Alternatives
Built Up Machined From Plate Machined From Forging Casting

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Cost
Raw Material Cost Comparisons
Aluminum Plate = $2 - $3 / lb. Steel Plate = $5 - $10 / lb. Titanium Plate = $15 - $25 / lb. Fiberglass/Epoxy Prepreg = $15 - $25 / lb. Graphite/Epoxy Prepreg = $50 - $100 / lb.

Detail Fabrication Costs Assembly Costs Life Cycle Costs

Cost of Weight (Loss of Payload, Increased Fuel Consumption) Cost of Maintenance
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Specialized Requirements
Temperature Lightning and Static Electricity Dissipation Erosion and Abrasion Marine Environment Impact Resistance Fire Zones Electrical Transparency

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Performance vs. Cost Dilemma

Highest Performance For The Lowest Cost Is the
Goal of Every Airplane Material Selection. Mutually Exclusive Compromise Is Required Define the Cost of Weight to the Aircraft

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Material Types

Aluminum
Aluminum Accounts for ~80% of the Structural
Material of Most Commercial and Military Transport Aircraft

Inexpensive and Easy to Form and Machine Alloys Are Tailored to Specific Needs 2000 Series Alloys (Aluminum-copper-magnesium)
Are Medium to High Strength With Good Fatigue Resistance but Low Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance. 2024-T3 Is the Yardstick for Fatigue Properties

5000 and 6000 Series Alloys Are Low to Medium

Strength but Easily Welded
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Aluminum (cont.)
7000 Series Alloys (Aluminum-zinc-magnesiumcopper) Are High Strength With Improved Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance but Most Have No Better Fatigue Properties Than 2000 Series 7050 and 7075 Alloys Are Widely Used 7475 Alloy Provides Higher Fatigue Resistance Similar to 2024-T3

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Aluminum Tempers

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Aluminum Tempers (cont.)

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Aluminum Tempers (cont.)

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Aluminum Comparison Chart

Material 2024-T3, T351, T42 Typical Application High Strength Tension Applications. Best Fracture Toughness/Slow Crack Growth Rate and Good Fatigue life. Thick Forms Have Low Short Transverse Properties including Stress Corrosion Cracking. 2324-T3 8% Improvement In Strength Over 2024-T3 With Increased Fatigue And Toughness Properties. 7075-T6, High Strength Compression Applications. T651, Higher Strength Than 2024-T3, But Lower T7351 Fracture Toughness. T7351 has Excellent Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance and Better Fracture Toughness Than T6. 7050-T7451 Better Properties Than 7075-T7351 In Thicker Sections.
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Titanium Better Strength To Weight Ratio Than Aluminum or

Steel

Typically Comprises ~5% By Weight in Commercial

Aircraft and Up To ~25% By Weight For High Performance Military Aircraft

Good Corrosion Resistance Good Temperature Resistance Good Fatigue And Damage Tolerance Properties In
The Annealed Form

Typical Alloy Is Ti 6Al-4V Either Annealed or Solution

Treated and Aged

High Cost For Metals

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Steel
Steel May Be Selected When Tensile Strengths
Greater Than Titanium Are Necessary

Steel Is Usually Limited to a Few Highly Loaded

Components Such As Landing Gear

There Are Many Steel Alloys to Choose From (See

Chart); Select the One That Is Tailored for Your Application.

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Steel (cont.)
Mil-Hdbk-5 List of Aerospace Steel Alloys:

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Composite
The Embedding of Small Diameter High Strength High
Modulus Fibers in a Homogeneous Matrix Material

Material Is Orthotropic (Much Stronger in the Fiber

Oriented Directions)

Fibers
Graphite (High Strength, Stiffness) Fiberglass (Fair Strength, Low Cost, Secondary Structure) Kevlar (Damage Tolerant)

Matrix
Epoxy (Primary Matrix Material) to 250 F Bismaleimide (High Temp Applications) to 350 F
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Material Properties Comparison

Material 2024-T3 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 6Al-4V Titanium Annealed 6Al-4V Titanium Solution Treated and Aged 15-5PH Stainless Steel (H1025) Fiberglass Epoxy (Unidirectional) Graphite Epoxy (Unidirectional)
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Ftu Fty (ksi) (ksi) 64 47 78 71 134 126 150 140

Fcy (ksi) 39 70 132 145

E Density 6 3 (10 psi) (lb/in ) 10.5 .101 10.3 .101 16.0 .160 16.0 .160

154 80 170

145

152 60 140

28.5 5 22

.283 .065 .056

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Next Generation Materials

Aluminum Lithium GLARE (Fiberglass Reinforced Aluminum) TiGr (Graphite Reinforced Titanium) Thermoplastics Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) Stitched Resin Fusion Injected (Stitched RFI)

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Mil-Hnbk-5 Overview
Document Contains Design Information On The
Strength Properties of Metallic Materials and Elements for Aerospace Vehicle Structures. All Information and Data Contained in This Handbook Have Been Coordinated With the Air Force, Army, Navy, Federal Aviation Administration and Industry Prior to Publication and Are Being Maintained As a Joint Effort of the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration.

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Basis of Properties
Material Property Selection Is Dependant on the
Criticality of the Structural Component Critical Single Load Path Structure A Basis (99% Probability of Exceeding) S Basis (Agency Assured Minimum Value) Other Primary Structure With Redundant Load Paths B Basis (90% Probability of Exceeding) Without a Test, A or S Basis May Be Required Secondary Structure B Basis (90% Probability of Exceeding)

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Grain Direction

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Material Properties (Mil-Hdbk-5) Example

Type

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Material Forms

Sheet
Rolled Flat Metal Thickness Less Than .25
Fuselage Skin Fuselage Frames Rib and Spar Webs Control Surfaces Pressure Domes

Good Grain Orientation Many Parts and Fasteners Fit Problems

Straighten Operations Shims Warpage 10/16/01
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Plate
Rolled Flat Metal Thickness Greater Than .25
Wing and Tail Skins Monolithic Spars and Ribs Fittings

Unitized Structure; Fewer Fasteners Grain Orientation Can Be a Problem High Speed Machining Has Lowered Fab Costs

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Extrusion
Produced By Forcing Metal Through a Forming Die At
Elevated Temperature To Achieve The Desired Shape Stringers Rib and Spar Caps Stiffeners

Grain Is Aligned in The Lengthwise Direction Additional Forming and Machining Required Used In Conjunction With Sheet Metal Webs

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Forging
Produced by Impacting or Pressing The Material Into
The Desired Shape Large Fittings Large Frames/Ribs Odd Shapes Control Grain Orientation

Residual Stresses
Can Cause Warpage

Tooling Can Be
Difficult
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Casting
Produced By Pouring Molten Metal Into A Die To
Achieve The Desired Shape Nacelle/Engine Components Complex Geometry

Dramatically Lowers Part and Fastener Counts Poor Fatigue And Damage Tolerance Properties High Tooling Costs

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Composite
Produced By Laying Fabric, Laying Tape, Winding,
Tow Placement and 3D Weaving or Stitching Skins Trailing Edge Surfaces Interiors and Floors Properties Can be Oriented To Load Direction

Excellent Strength To
Weight Ratio

High Cost Of Material and

Processes

Poor Bearing Strength

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Examples

Upper Wing Cover

Skin - 7075-T651 Aluminum
Plate

Stringers - 7075-T6511
Aluminum Extrusion

After Machining; Age Creep

Formed To -T7351/-T73511

Compression Dominated Reduces Compressive Yield

Strength

Greatly Increases Stress

Corrosion Resistance
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Lower Wing Cover

Skin - 2024-T351 Aluminum
Plate

Tension Dominated Good Ultimate Tensile

Strength

Very Good Fatigue and

Damage Tolerance Properties

Stringers - 7075-T73511
Aluminum Extrusion

High Ultimate Tensile Strength Good Damage Tolerance

Properties
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Spars
7050-T7451 Aluminum Plate High Tensile and
Compressive Strength in Thick Sections

Good Stress Corrosion

Resistance

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Fixed Trailing Edge Surface

Graphite/Epoxy Fabric Aramid/Phenolic
Honeycomb

Fiberglass/Epoxy Fabric
Corrosion Barrier

Secondary Structure Stiffness Design

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Leading Edge
2024-0 Clad Aluminum Heat Treated to -T62 After Stretch Forming to Shape Clad For Corrosion Resistance Polished For Appearance De-icing by Hot Air/Bird Strike Resistance

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Landing Gear Support Beam

Titanium 6Al-4V Annealed
Forging

High Strength and Stiffness Critical Lug Design Height is Limited By Wing
Contours

Annealed Form
Is Good For Fatigue And Damage Tolerance
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Wing to Body Attachments

PH13-8Mo Cres Steel Bar Critical Lug Design High Strength
Requirement

Good Corrosion
Resistance

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Flap Tracks
PH13-8Mo Cres Steel Bar Geometry Is Very Limited
By Requirement To Be Internal To The Wing

Results In Very High

Stress Levels

High Stiffness Is Required

To Meet Flutter and Flap Geometry Criteria

Good Corrosion
Resistance
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