Titanium Alloys for Aeroengine and Airframe Applications

Background

The high strength and low density of titanium and its alloys have from the first ensured a positive role for the metal in aero-engine and airframe applications. It is difficult to imagine how current levels of performance, engine power to weight ratios, airframe strength, aircraft speed and range and other critical factors could be achieved without titanium.

Aircraft Engines

Titanium alloys capable of operating at temperatures from sub zero to 600°C are used in engines for discs, blades, shafts and casings from the front fan to the last stage of the high pressure compressor, and at the rear end of the engine for lightly loaded fabrications such as plug and nozzle assemblies.

Airframes

Alloys with strength up to 1200MPa are used in a wide variety of airframe applications from small fasteners weighing a few grams to landing gear trucks and large wing beams weighing up to 1 ton. Currently titanium makes up to 10% of empty weight of aircraft such as the Boeing 777.

Titanium Alloys for Aircraft Applications

Some of the alloys available for aircraft applications are outlined in the following tables. The alloys are grouped by their ralative usages.

Table 1. More widely used titanium alloys in aircraft applications.

Table 2. Titanium alloys of increasing importance in aircraft applications.

Table 3. Less widely used titanium alloys in aircraft applications, but alloys that may be critical in their application to specific fully validated components.

Source: Titanium Information Group

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