Novelis Ultrathick 7XXX Plate for New Aerospace Applications

In an effort to reduce manufacturing costs, airframers are increasingly pivoting from complex subassemblies to singular components machined from monolithic plate. While >200 mm (~8-in.) ultrathick plate can easily be produced via forging, the limited worldwide capacity can be a strain on the fragile supply chain, particularly as airplane build rates ramp up. Novelis has been developing rolled plate solutions for ultrathick AA7xxx that will compete with forgings at lower costs and quicker delivery times. Quality casting practices and tailored hot rolling schedules are key to achieving smooth fatigue performance, elongation, and fracture toughness that comply with customer specifications. This presentation will summarize mechanical property data from ongoing production of ultrathick 7050-T7451 and report on efforts to generate MMPDS allowables and expand the current gauge range of AMS 4050.