Titanium Development Needs for the Airframe Industry: A 2015 Update

The success of the aircraft industry has relied upon advances in materials performance, resulting in a nearly monotonic 1% per annum improvement in specific fuel consumption for over 50 years. This improvement, roughly split between advances in engine and airframe technologies, was partially enabled by the development and maturation of the titanium industry. Dozens of titanium alloys, heat treatments and product forms have been developed to satisfy particular needs around landing gear, complex fittings and elevated temperatures, to the credit of generations of metallurgists, technologies and a durable supply base. However, a burgeoning aircraft business is now entering a new phase supporting the rapid expansion of developing markets, and therefore, the development needs for the titanium industry must likewise evolve. Despite the availability of higher performance alloys, the emphasis remains on lower cost titanium components. The vast majority of titanium components are small, less than a kilogram in final condition, and fabricated with a low material utilization (high “buy-to-fly” (BTF) ratio), often from plate with BTF ratios exceeding 20. Larger components via forgings usually follow suite, but eventually with better ratios, ranging from 6 to 10. This approach drives most of the cost into machining, which creates waste and a distracting but requisite secondary market for scrap. Therefore, fabrication processes also need to evolve, to support efficient production of titanium components. Furthermore, airframe industry design methods must evolve companion design methods to permit the expanded use of reduced cost technologies, such as additive manufacturing, welding, casting and powder metallurgy, even if at slightly reduced property sets. This presentation will identify technologies that appear to be of growing importance to support this trend, while maintaining the vital requirements of high quality, robustness and good business practice.