Which alloy of aluminium is used for making aircraft parts?
Usually, aluminum is mixed with different percentages of lithium, and depending on the purpose of the aircraft part, these alloys are heated and prepared with many complex methodsCommercial aluminum-lithium alloys are targeted as advanced materials for aerospace technology primarily because of their low density, high specific modulus, and excellent fatigue and cryogenic toughness propertiesCommercially pure aluminum has a tensile strength of about 13,000 psi, but by rolling or other cold-working processes, its strength may be approximately doubledBy alloying with other metals, such as lithium, and occasionally magnesium, together with the use of heat-treating processes, the tensile strength of an aircraft may be raised to as high as 96,000 psi, or to well within the strength range of structural steelThe aluminum alloy material, although strong, is easily worked, for it is very malleable and ductileOne disadvantage of aluminum alloy is the difficulty of making reliable soldered jointsOxidation of the surface of the heated metal prevents soft solder from adhering to the material; therefore, to produce good joints of aluminum alloy, a riveting process is usedSome aluminum alloys are also successfully weldedThe various types of aluminum maybe divided into two classes-casing alloys (those suitable for casting in sand, permanent mold, and die castings) and the wrought alloys (those that may be shaped by rolling, drawing, or forging)Of the two, the wrought alloys are the most widely used in aircraft construction, being used for stringers, bulkheads, skin, rivets, and extruded sectionsCasting alloys are not extensively used in aircraft.
