Aims: The aim of the unit is to give engineering students an understanding of the nature of aerospace materials and how this determines their successful application in aerospace structures and machines.
Learning Outcomes:
After taking this unit the student should be able to: appreciate the properties of engineering materials and how they arise. Understand the key areas of manufacturing technology which allow fabrication of the critical engineering component, the importance of the correct choice of material and the factors limiting the service life of the component, the significance of the manufacturing route in determining the economics and engineering viability of the component and methods for fault detection and life prediction.
Content:
Introduction, history and classification of aerospace materials. Materials for airframes-Aluminium Alloys; manufacturing route, heat treatments, properties, joining techniques. Titanium Alloys. Super-plastic forming. Diffusion bonding. Production, properties and applications Stainless and Maraging steels. Properties, fabrication and applications. Alloys and components for aeroengines. Manufacturing processes, properties, applications and failure modes. Steel, Titanium alloys, Honeycombs, High temperature alloys. Polycrystalline, directionally solidified and single crystal blades. Future technology. Thermal barrier coatings. Principles, processing and performance. Long Fibre Composites. Critical Fibre length. Aerospace manufacturing processes. Types of fibre and matrix. Composite honeycombs. Composites and design. Comparison of carbon fibre composites and aluminium alloys. Laminate analysis/ design. Material coupling. Failure criteria (strength and stiffness). Repair Systems. Metal matrix Composites. Degradation processes and control. NDT, its role in quality control and in in-service inspection of aircraft. Review of types of defect found in aircraft and their hazards. X-ray inspection, sources, recording, sensitivity, radiation safety. Dye penetrant crack detection. Ultrasonic testing, ultrasonic wave propagation and reflection. Transducers, coupling. A-scan, b-scan, c-scan, shear wave and surface wave inspection techniques. Electrical methods, eddy current, potential drop, magnetic methods. Special inspection problems posed by composite materials. "The ageing aircraft programme".
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