Macrostructure Integration of Airframe Structures via Friction Stir Welding

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) has been used to join smaller, inexpensive aluminum sheets to eliminate fasteners in aircraft structers. This program will focus on quantifying the design benefits of FSW of aluminum sheets of differing thickness of the same or different materials to tailor the structural properties for airframe applications. By tailoring the material/and or thickness to allow higher strength capability near stress concentrations, door or other features, weight can be reduced by using lower strength material and/or thinner product than is conventionally used, i.e., higher cost materials are used only where necessary. Additionally, angular FSW will further enhance structural design flexability to offer the potential for lighter weight structures. Under this program an analysis of potential design improvements with regard to weight and cost reductions will be completed as well as demonstrating the feasibility of the FSW process to make these types of solid-state welds by producing and evaluating subelement weldaments.