Aluminum, steel and titanium used to reign supreme in the world of aerospace manufacturing, taking up 70% of the average aircraft. Yet as demands for weight reduction and fuel efficiency increase, metals are losing ground to the new kid in the game- thermoplastic polymers and composites. You need to only consider the latest generation of modern aircraft to see the impact these materials are having on aerospace manufacturing.
In airplanes, plastic is typically used for interior applications, such as air ducts, cabin partitions, floor panels and overhead luggage bins. It’s also used for avionics sensor plates, electronic component mounting brackets and ventilation impeller blades.
Structural applications include wing ribs and spars. In addition, plastic is used on the exterior of aircraft for things such as fuel tank covers, landing gear hubcaps, pylon fairings and radomes.
But what is the reason behind this drastic shift from aluminium and steel to thermoplastics like PEEK, PPSU, PEI, and other polymer materials? As it turns out, there is more than one explanation.
Plastic offers many advantages over aluminum and other traditional aerospace materials, such as light weight, high strength and durability.
Weight reduction is one of the greatest advantages of composite material usage. A lower-weight plane is more fuel-efficient because it requires less fuel to propel itself forward. Polymer and composite materials meet the challenge of helping reduce aircraft weight by being up to ten times lighter than metal. This sharply lowers lifetime fuel costs, reduces emissions, and extends the flight range.
Composites are also incredibly strong and as a result have a higher strength-to-weight ratio, also known as specific strength, than the metals used in making aircraft. In addition, they resist compression and don’t easily break under tension. Airplane plastics are not prone to corrosion due to harsh chemicals, and they are resistant to many highly reactive chemicals. They can also handle wide variations in temperature and exposure to severe weather.
Another big advantage of composites is their design flexibility: they can be made into just about any shape. And a single, oddly shaped piece of composite can replace many pieces made of other materials. That helpful characteristic cuts down on maintenance and so can reduce costs over the lifetime of a plane. Once a composite piece has been formed, it maintains its shape and size. That is important in the aircraft industry because it means the essential parts of a plane made out of composite materials won’t grow, shrink or change form as environmental conditions vary.
In addition, the use of plastic composites in airplanes reduces the scrap and waste produced from working with traditional materials. And plastic composites also are less susceptible to fatigue and corrosion, so the aircraft lasts longer and requires only a few repairs.
The use of composite materials might even make for more comfortable travel. Why? The composite materials used in airplanes can sustain lower cabin pressure at high altitudes and higher humidity levels than traditional aluminum- bodied planes, so it is expected that passengers will fly more comfortably and arrive in their destinations feeling more rested.
In airplanes, plastic is typically used for interior applications, such as air ducts, cabin partitions, floor panels and overhead luggage bins. It’s also used for avionics sensor plates, electronic component mounting brackets and ventilation impeller blades.
Structural applications include wing ribs and spars. In addition, plastic is used on the exterior of aircraft for things such as fuel tank covers, landing gear hubcaps, pylon fairings and radomes.
But what is the reason behind this drastic shift from aluminium and steel to thermoplastics like PEEK, PPSU, PEI, and other polymer materials? As it turns out, there is more than one explanation.
Plastic offers many advantages over aluminum and other traditional aerospace materials, such as light weight, high strength and durability.
Weight reduction is one of the greatest advantages of composite material usage. A lower-weight plane is more fuel-efficient because it requires less fuel to propel itself forward. Polymer and composite materials meet the challenge of helping reduce aircraft weight by being up to ten times lighter than metal. This sharply lowers lifetime fuel costs, reduces emissions, and extends the flight range.
Composites are also incredibly strong and as a result have a higher strength-to-weight ratio, also known as specific strength, than the metals used in making aircraft. In addition, they resist compression and don’t easily break under tension. Airplane plastics are not prone to corrosion due to harsh chemicals, and they are resistant to many highly reactive chemicals. They can also handle wide variations in temperature and exposure to severe weather.
Another big advantage of composites is their design flexibility: they can be made into just about any shape. And a single, oddly shaped piece of composite can replace many pieces made of other materials. That helpful characteristic cuts down on maintenance and so can reduce costs over the lifetime of a plane. Once a composite piece has been formed, it maintains its shape and size. That is important in the aircraft industry because it means the essential parts of a plane made out of composite materials won’t grow, shrink or change form as environmental conditions vary.
In addition, the use of plastic composites in airplanes reduces the scrap and waste produced from working with traditional materials. And plastic composites also are less susceptible to fatigue and corrosion, so the aircraft lasts longer and requires only a few repairs.
The use of composite materials might even make for more comfortable travel. Why? The composite materials used in airplanes can sustain lower cabin pressure at high altitudes and higher humidity levels than traditional aluminum- bodied planes, so it is expected that passengers will fly more comfortably and arrive in their destinations feeling more rested.
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