Climate change hacks for aerospace

Over the past decade, manufacturers and shops that serve the aerospace industry have witnessed the clear shift toward lighter-weight components. A response to reducing fuel consumption and meeting green initiatives, many projects that come across engineers’ desks involve using lighter metals with tighter tolerances and more complex designs.

Engineers must also meet the call for “light-weighting” metal components, which means reducing the amount of the required metal to produce a part while still maintaining excellent part performance under heat and stress. In aerospace, every gram counts and using lighter alloys or light-weighting other metals ensures maximum part performance with the lowest workable weight.

When you see such trends coming through the door, the pros and cons of adapting your processes and tooling to fit must be considered, whether you’d adapt temporarily or permanently. Many of these lighter alloys behave differently when machined and are tougher to work, especially if any of your post CNC work is done manually, such as deburring and finishing.

To accommodate them, you may need tougher, more durable automated tools that can more reliably accomplish the required precision and quality. Many manufacturers are moving forward with such accommodations. They’re certain that such jobs and components will continue to see increased demand in the coming years.

Such confidence is not surprising given that in 2019 many of the major players in aerospace signed a statement declaring their commitment to collaborate on sustainability targets set by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG). By major players, we’re talking about Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, GE Aviation, Rolls-Royce, Safran, and United Technologies Corp.

Further, the global air transport industry has committed to pursuing net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Lighter-weight components are critical to such commitments. In new aircraft fleets, they promise lower emissions and reduced fuel consumption. Thus, aerospace industry leaders have been increasing, diversifying and innovating the use of lightweight metals in their designs.

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Lightweight components are already proving their mettle. ATAG reports that newer, lighter aircraft, including the Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 and A220, consume less fuel. For example, the Boeing 787 is 20 percent lighter and has improved fuel efficiency of 10 to 12 percent.

Lightweight Metals Surging in Aerospace

Lightweight aluminum alloys and titanium alloys are commonly used for developing lighter-weight components in aerospace today. They’re close in strength to steel, but at much lighter weights. And they offer the performance needed in intense aerospace applications.

For example, strong titanium alloys are already in use for landing gear component applications. And more opportunities with alloys are developed each year. For instance, industry experts and researchers are closely examining and exercising the potential of aluminum-lithium alloys.