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Steels below:
Product Metallurgy explains why steel At Stocksbridge, landing gear steels traditionally bulky components such as
will continue to play an important part are made to an Ultra Clean Steel landing gear are facing especial scrutiny.
in critical components such as landing Practice (UCSP) to provide a premium The need to reduced weight is
gear. quality electrode which is subsequently accompanied by higher performance
Predictions about the future metal remelted under vacuum (VAR) or expectations from designers. Increased
content of aircraft suggest a significant under a refining slag or flux (ESR). strength allows for a reduction in weight
reduction in terms of the proportion of Initial melting is carried out in an but as important as this is the concurrent
overall weight. Composites and ceramics electric arc furnace followed by refining need to provide improved toughness,
are superseding light metals and other in a vacuum arc degassing vessel better temperature tolerance and im
alloys as manufacturers look to lighten (VAD). Casting of the electrode uses proved resistance to corrosion without
structures and reduce flying costs. specially developed refractories and playing.
Although overall metal weight will shrouded teeming techniques. Research New brake designs for modern airlines
drop significantly, the proportion of at Stocksbridge has shown that the are exerting higher transient temperatures
steel is expected to see only a marginal quality of the feedstock electrode is of on landing gear components in aborted
fall. It is widely accepted that areas of great importance in ensuring that the take-off situations. The fact that temp
heavy stress and load will continue to final remelted ingot has optimum clean eratures above those used in heat
rely on specialist aerospace steels. ness and properties. Specialist ultrasonic treatment may be encountered could
This is largely due to the fact that for inspection facilities can be used to jeopardise the continued safe service of
many critical applications such as guarantee that the product meets the components which normally operate at
landing gear components, control surface most stringent requirements. ambient temperatures.
actuators and engine gears and shafts, The current remedy for this sort of
steel continues to be the only cost- The inspectability of steel eventuality is for the suspected parts to
effective materials solution. Non-metal- One of the disadvantages of composites, be examined and, where necessary,
lics and composites still cannot match non-metallics and ceramics is the diffi replaced. However, Stocksbridge is
its combination of strength, toughness, culty that can be involved in examining leading research into the development
and ductility. the finished product. As with steel, of materials that will withstand excur
On a modern civil aircraft the weight quality has to be assured by stringent sions into these temperatures without
of the landing gear is approximately 4% control of the manufacturing process affecting properties, thereby adding an
of total aircraft weight, compared with a itself but the inspectability of steel gives extra margin of safety.
figure of around 7% in aircraft made 30 it a definite advantage over composites, Despite the undisputed status of
years ago. as the quality can be verified by a specialised steels as the major constituent
The reduction in landing gear weight variety of inspection techniques. of landing gear components, Stocks
is set against the increase in the average In ceramics, for example, the flaws bridge recognises the pressing need to
size of aircraft and the general improve responsible for failure are usually smaller continue to move forward. The require
ment in performance. than 50μm and are therefore not ments of the aerospace industry as a
The major constituent of the landing detectable by non-destructive testing whole will best be served by close co
gear in both large civil aircraft and (NDT) techniques. operation between designers and steel
military aircraft is high strength steel, In contrast, high strength steels such manufacturers to maintain research
the consistency and reliability of which as AMS 6419 (a high silicon nickel, programmes to optimise alloy design.
has been steadily enhanced through chromium molybdenum steel commonly
improved manufacturing and testing known as 300M) and 35 NCD16 used Stocksbridge Engineering Steels,
procedures. in aircraft undercarriages have fracture Tel: 0742 882361.