G. A. Tomchik, T. G. Dunder, Boeing - 787 Airplane Integration, Seattle, WA
Commercial aircraft designs are transitioning from primarily aluminum construction to primarily composite structures. Titanium's unique compatibility with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites has spurred a significantly increased usage of titanium. This increased usage of titanium has created new requirements and opportunities for titanium fabrication technologies, new alloys, and improved processing methods. In many cases components that traditionally were fabricated from aluminum are now made from titanium due to it's superior corrosion resistance, strain rate compatibility and thermal expansion characteristics when coupled with CFRP components.
This presentation discusses, from a design perspective what properties and characteristics are needed from titanium components. It will also compare and contrast the forms of titanium components on primarily composite commercial aircraft designs with titanium structure used on previous commercial and military aircraft.
With the replacement of significant portions of aluminum structure with titanium in commercial transports, new challenges are created due to the higher costs of titanium, more difficult fabrication, and relative immaturity of high-volume production equipment and processes when compared to aluminum. This presentation will explore many opportunities for development of titanium production methods, new requirements for alloys and processing methods, and the need to develop new, improved and more automated fabrication processes.
Commercial aircraft designs are transitioning from primarily aluminum construction to primarily composite structures. Titanum's unique compatibility with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites has spurred a significant increased use of titanium and has created new requirements and opportunities for titanium fabrication technologies, new alloys, and improved processing methods. In many cases components that traditionally were fabricated from aluminum now require titanium due to titanium's superior corrosion resistance, strain compatibility, and thermal expansion characteristics when coupled with CFRP components.
This presentation discusses from a design standpoint what properties and characteristics are needed from titanium components. It will also compare and contrast the form of titanum components on primarily composite commercial aircraft designs with titanum structure used on previous commerical and military aircraft.
The replacement of significant portions of aluminum structure with titanium in commercial transports has created new challenges due to titanium's higher costs, more difficulty in fabrication, and relative immaturity of high volume production equipment and processes when compared to aluminum. This presentation will explore many opportunities for development of titanium production methods, new requirements for alloys and processing methods, and the need to develop new, improved and more automated fabrication processes.
