Aleris material solutions for aerospace applications

Advances in materials and manufacturing technology continue to be key in achieving the goals of affordable, environmentally friendly and reliable aircraft structures.

Lower wing panels are usually loaded in tension and therefore driven by their damage tolerance capability. The upper wing structure is mainly driven by compression requirements.

In case of fuselage applications the competition from fiber reinforced composites drives the material requirements towards enhanced damage tolerance, higher strength and lower density. Also advanced manufacturing processes like laser welding or new cost efficient forming technologies are being considered.

To meet these requirements Aleris has expanded its portfolio of conventional alloys. For lower wing applications these comprise a superior damage tolerant 2xxx solution. For upper wing applications high strength 7xxx plate has been developed in various Tempers. For fuselage sheet an improved damage tolerant 2xxx solution is under qualification. Advanced new alloys are being explored to address additional requirements. Sc containing sheet alloys provide reduced density and allow for new manufacturing techniques at the customer for affordable structures.

This presentation will give an overview of the latest developments on wing plates and fuselage sheets achieved via material & process improvements at Aleris.