Materials and Hardware Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Materials and Hardware - Essay ExampleThe Change from One Material to Another in Aircraft Development The method for the choice of stuff and nonsenses for aircraft development has changed over the years. For the Flyer, the Wright brothers utilised the first cast aluminium engine block and the major drivers for the clobber chosen were static dexterity and weight. The materials used on the main airframe were wood cover with a fabric. Wood is a natural compound possessing long fibres of cellulose, which are held together by a weaker matrix of lignin. The use of wood as a material for the aircraft structure illustrates that the use of composite airframes is not new in the aircraft industry. After the creation of precipitation hardening and the technique to protect the aluminium step up by anodizing and cladding, aluminium has been the main material for aircraft development (Merati, 2010). The reason why aluminium has been used as the primary material for aircraft development is due t o its high-pitched toughness, easily recyclable, no low temperature brittle fracture, long term performance, high specific strength (calculated by strength/density), ease of manufacture (particularly in extrusion), and quick joinable by mechanical riveting or welding. These advantages make aluminium the preferred metal for aircraft development. ... The design method for materials utilized in aircraft structures were linked with sufficient strength and low weight (Schijve, 2009). As time evolved, there was need to develop aircrafts that were lighter and faster. This was mainly driven by the needs of the market. Aluminium was the next material that came into the minds of the developers. The material is light, very tough among other advantages. Longer lifecycle, safety, low maintenance cost and reliability are other factors that have triggered the change from one material to another in aircraft development. Why Aluminium Alloys Are Used Instead Of Pure Aluminium in Aircraft Developme nt Pure aluminium produced commercially is a white lustrous metal that ranks top in its resistance to corrosion, sixth in ductility, and second in malleability scale. Aluminium in combination with unhomogeneous levels of other metals creates alloys, which are then used in aircraft development. The principal ingredients used in the aluminium alloys include magnesium, chromium, silicon, and manganese. These ingredients make the aluminium alloy resistant to grim environments. However, aluminium alloys with substantial levels of copper are vulnerable to corrosive action. The amount of the alloying elements is rarely more than 6 or 7% in the wrought alloys (Federal line Administration FAA, n.d.). Aluminium is the most widely used metal material in modern aircraft development or construction. It is important to the aviation industry because of its comparative ease of fabrication and its high strength to weight ratio. The outstanding feature of aluminium is its lightweight (FAA, n.d. L ye, 1989). The metal melts at relatively low temperature of around 1,250F. It is an small conductor and nonmagnetic. The tensile