High Strength Aerospace Metallic Materials

INDICATIVE MODULE CONTENTS

1) Major aerospace applications for high strength metallic materials in gas turbine engines, undercarriage, bearings, gears, flight control systems, actuators, auxilliaries and airframe.

2) Metallic material groups include high strength steels, nickel superalloys, titanium alloys, new competing materials such as composites and ceramics, and certain non-ferrous metals.

3) Material selection and design for application, alloy composition, cost of manufacture considerations, property validation and testing.

4) The main production process routes including primary melting, re-melting, VIM/VAR/ESR, casting, hot rolling, hot forging, heat treatment, inspection and testing, welding, machining and fabrication.

5) Discussion of the key production parameters which determine metallurgical product quality, including tips and guidelines on "things to watch out for" during metal manufacture.

6) Guest lectures from major aerospace manufacturers.

7) Case study on the alloy design and primary manufacture of a high strength material for a major aerospace component.

8) An assignment based on the design and application of different high strength materials, and why they are used in the different metallurgical environments of a critical aerospace application.

Start time: 8.30 am each day.
Finish: 6.30 pm each day.

THE AIMS OF THE MODULE ARE:

• To review the major aerospace applications requiring high strength metallic materials in civil and military aircraft, helicopters, missiles and space vehicles.
• To describe the high strength metallic materials available to the aerospace materials engineer and understand the main property characterisitics of high strength steels, nickel superalloys, titanium alloys, composites and ceramics. Brief reference will also be made to non-ferrous metals.
• To give an understanding of the physical metallurgy of high strength metallic materials and how this can be used during materials selection and processing to optimise material properties in the final component.
• To describe the different manufacturing process routes used for high strength metals and understand the importance of key metallurgical parameters that can be controlled to optimise aerospace materials quality.