Page 35 - PCMI Journal July 2018
P. 35
David Allen | Emeritus Professor | Cranfield University | UK Photochemical Machining of Aerospace Materials
Issue 131 July 2018 PCMI Journal 34
5/31/18
Aerospace materials
Aerospace materials need to have low density with a high strength-to-weight ratio.
Aerospace materials include:
• Aluminium and its alloys
• Titanium and its alloys
• Magnesium and its alloys
Titanium heat exchanger plate
Aluminium - A few
Facts concerning Aluminium factsAaAaL
• The commonest element in the earth’s crust (8%)
• Relatively expensive due to method of manufacture (high temperatures and high electric currents)
• Becomes cheaper when recycled
• Hard, strong and light (ρ = 2.7 kg.dm-3)
• Silver-coloured metal melting at 660°C
• Thermal conductivity of 237 Wm-1K-1 at 300K (27°C)
• Although reactive, it is resistant to corrosion due to the presence of a thin surface film of aluminium oxide
• A very wide range of alloys exist
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