Overview of Titanium applications in Dassault Aviation Airframes Matthieu Pachoutinsky October 7-10, 2012- Atlanta, Georgia, USA 1
Overview of Titanium applications in Agenda Dassault Aviation Airframes Dassault Aviation Part applications and processes Parts machined from plates Forged parts Casting SPF-DB Example of canard surface assembly Others: Tubing / Fasteners / Direct Manufacturing Titanium distribution on Rafale and Falcon Challenges Conclusion 2
Dassault Aviation Aircrafts in production : Rafale, Falcon, neuron A world leader in top-of-the-range executive jets. Approx 11,500 employees; Based in France and United States and 8 other international locations. Aircrafts in more than 77 countries across 5 continents. More than 8,000 aircrafts delivered, representing 25 million hours of flight time. 3
Parts machined from plates : Rafale s leading edge slat tracks Advantages : High mechanical properties, non specific supply Drawbacks : High buy to fly ratio (5.5), geometrical limitations Size: 310x90x45mm Thickness range: 4mm Leading edge slat tracks machined from Ti-6-4 plates 4
Investment casting Ti-6-4 Rafale rib 1 Size: 1250x300x250mm Thickness: 2 to 25mm Rib 1 5
Investment casting Ti-6-4: Titanium central box for Horizontal Stabilizer 6
Horizontal stabilizer Falcon 50, 900, 2000, re-engineering : composite + titanium box Casting used for functional integration reducing fasteners and parts Titanium used for high specific strength Number of parts Fastening elements Before After 240 36 12000 3500 7
Horizontal stabilizer: titanium casting central box Final part Catia model Vacuum investment casting Ti-6-4 Casting Stereolithography Shell mould 8
Investment casting Ti-6-4 Advantages : Delivers complex parts, functional integration, thin walls, low buy to fly ratio Drawbacks : Casting factor, long development time, frozen geometry, specific design for each supplier Size: 990x520x330mm Thickness range: 2-5 mm Buy to fly : 2 to 3 Size: 1250x300x250mm Thickness range: 2-25mm Buy to fly : 2 9
Forged parts Ti-6-4: Rafale Wing fittings Size: 270x300x180mm Wing fittings 10
Forged parts: Rafale under wing fittings Advantages : high mechanical properties, intermediate buy to fly ratio (4) Drawbacks : Long development time, frozen geometry, geometrical limitations Machined Die forged 11
SPFDB : Rafale s leading edge slats and canard surfaces SPFDB: Super Plastic Forming Diffusion Bonding Canard surface Leading edge slats 12
SPFDB : Rafale Leading edge slat and canard surfaces Advantages : Very low buy to fly ratio, fully integrated parts Drawbacks : Complex process, frozen geometry, high quality thin sheets requirements, chemical milling Leading edge Ti-6-4 Canard surface Ti-6-4 13
Example of canard surface assembly Pin Fitting Box Number of parts : 5 Pin is electron beam welded on fitting SPF-BD No fastener Size: 2000x1000x200mm Trailing edge box Trailing edge fairing 14
Others: Tubings / Fasteners / Direct Manufacturing Tubings : Ti-3-2.5 and CPTi 600m of hydraulics tubing for F7X 150m for a Rafale Fasteners : Ti-6-4 110000 titanium fasteners for F7X 60000 titanium fasteners for Rafale Direct Manufacturing Ti-6-4 Ventilation system Prototyping CPTi air conditioning pipe Titanium fasterners Tubing parts on prototype 15
Titanium distribution on Rafale and Falcon airframes 20 10 5 70 10 Composite Titanium Others Composite Titanium Others Rafale airframes Why Titanium used : -1- benefits of high specific strength (highly loaded parts in small volume) more opportunity in a combat aircraft -2- for thermal expansion compatibility with composite -3- for galvanic compatibility during direct assembly 85 Falcon airframes 16
Challenges Environmental Eliminate fluonitric acid for chemical milling and etching Recycling of scrap material Friendly surface treatments Supply chain Dassault Aviation: small player in titanium market Develop a strategic supply plan Critical parts : complex qualification process Technical Downsizing qualification test plan Microstructure/properties correlation Identify impact of process steps on properties Identify scatter in properties Very few suppliers 17
Dassault s signature Conclusion Ti-6-4 only Well known, homogeneous in term of mechanical properties Easy supply Minimization of qualification cost Processes optimization Cost driver: buy to fly ratio Wide range of technology Environmental Focus of current research Chemical milling replacement by mechanical machining Next step Improve performances and competitiveness Implement new processes (ex. Machining improvement) Optimized design Secure supply chain DASSAULT AVIATION Proprietary Data. SPFDB Casting Die Forging 18
Back-up 19
Direction Générale Technique Ce document est la propriété intellectuelle de DASSAULT AVIATION. Il ne peut être utilisé, reproduit, modifié ou communiqué sans son autorisation. 20 What is SPF-DB? SPF-DB = Super Plastic Forming & Diffusion Bonding SPF = Superplasticity sheet mould Gas presure T deep hole possibility DB = Welding by atomic diffusion in solid phase DB zones Thin structures Perfect bonding without fasteners
Argon Direct Metal Deposition LASER CAD/CAD Direct Manufacturing Selective Laser Melting Argon CAD/CAM LASER Z (Nozzle) Coaxial Nozzle Laser wipering Feeding system part part substrate Motion Table XY Optomec LENS 850R Trumph DMD 505 Inss Tek Inc. MetalWorks 350 Manufacturing Chamber Feeding chamber Phenix PM 250, TRUMPF LF250, EOS M270, MCP Realizer II
Static properties on Ti-6-4 sheets Variability with thickness between 0.5 to 5mm Maxi Rm 1100 1000 900 800 Mini Rm mini R0,2 700 600 500 Moy R0,2 L MoyRm L Moy R0,2TL Moy RmTL 400 300 200 100 0 2,5mm < e < 4,76mm 1,6mm < e < 2,5mm 1,27mm < e < 1,6mm 0,8mm < e < 1,27mm 0,5mm < e < 0,8mm
Fatigue crack growth rate on Ti-6-4 plates Variability between suppliers 1,E-01 VSMPO - 90mm VSMPO-45mm RMI-100mm Timet-100mm 1,E-02 VSMPO 2mm da/dn en mm/cycle 1,E-03 1,E-04 10 100 ΔK (MPa. m1/2)
Typical Microstructure on Ti-6-4 sheets 0.5mm gage 4mm gage
Typical Microstructure on Ti-6-4 casting 0,2mm