R. R. Boyer, J. D. Cotton, K. T. Slattery, G. R. Weber, The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA
There is continual pressure on the aircraft industry to reduce both manufacturing and operating costs. The former occurs in the form of pressure to reduce component and material costs; the latter in the form of reduced maintenance costs and aircraft weight. Weight and cost are thus interrelated, and sometimes at odds, in the design process. Titanium is historically utilized in airframes to solve specific problems related to high temperatures, specific strength or corrosion. For graphite-reinforced composites, the natural compatibility of titanium relative to aluminum or steel alloys has lead to an increase in the fraction of titanium alloys on the airframe, but with concordant increases in build costs. This has lead to an evolution in the needs of the airframe industry with respect to titanium alloy properties and utilization.
This paper will provide an overview of typical applications of titanium alloys and what the design drivers are for these applications. The purpose of this paper is to relate these needs to the titanium industry so that better alloy development solutions can be conceived and offered.
