Aluminum is one of the most commonly used metals in the world and the most used metal in the aerospace industry. It has a wide range of influences on our lives. From covering dinner to providing structural elements to an aircraft, aluminum‘s properties are suitable and ideal for lots of industry applications.
Aluminum History: Since the Wright brothers built the first aircraft, aluminum has been used in the aerospace manufacturing industry. The first plane’s engine crankcases were made with aluminum. However, major structural elements were made with wood. Since the 1940s, the use of aluminum in aircraft manufacturing increased and aluminum is still the most popular material for aircraft manufacturing. Like many industries, the aerospace industry widely uses aluminum for various purposes. Aluminum alloys like Aluminum 2014 with its beneficial properties are the best metal for reducing aircraft manufacturing costs while meeting stringent requirements too.
Benefits of Aluminum
To manufacture aircraft, aluminum alloys are an easy choice as they have many invaluable properties. Wood was originally used to build airplanes, but it is defenseless to rotting and can easily split if not maintained correctly. Steel is stronger than aluminum, but it is extremely heavier, that’s its cons. That’s why, it is suggested to use steel only when extremely high strength is required, such as while creating landing gears or high-speed jets. The top benefits of using aluminum alloys like QQ-A-200/2 are listed here:
Light Weight: One of the major benefits of using aluminum alloys like 2014-T6511 for manufacturing aircraft is its lightweight which helps in crafting fuel-efficient aircraft. With a weight about one-third lighter than steel, it helps aircraft carry more weight and become long-range aircraft.
High strength: The high strength of aluminum gives it an edge over other heavier metals. Mostly, lighter metals are considered to be weak but aluminum is lightweight with high strength. That’s why, airframes that need to be manufactured from high-strength metals are mostly manufactured with aluminum alloys to make aircraft manufacture more cost-efficient and reliable.
Corrosion Resistance: Corrosion is extremely dangerous for an aircraft and its passengers as it can cause serious damage. Aluminum alloys like Aluminum 2014 can resist corrosion and other chemical environments so it is highly valuable and helpful for aircraft that consistently operate under highly corrosive maritime environments.
Conclusion: Aluminum is an irreplaceable metal for many industries. With its perfect combination of lightweight and higher strength, it has helped many industries, and the aerospace industry is one of them. Now, as an aerospace or any other industry manufacturer, you can purchase aluminum alloys at competitive prices. All you have to do is to choose FlightMetals, as your aluminum supplier of aluminum products like AMS 4121, QQ-A-200/2, 2014-T6511, 2219-T851, AMS QQ-A-250/30, Aluminum 2014 and AMS 4599.