Aircraft designers have always turned to new and emerging materials to resolve the inherent challenges of heavier-the-air flight. Fabricated parts have become an essential component in the design of safe private and passenger aircraft alike.
In this blog post, Mid-Mountain explores the importance of lightweight materials and fabricated parts in aviation construction and how they can effectively improve passenger safety.
Composites and Fabricated Parts in Aircraft
The earliest aircraft designs made use of unique composite materials that were previously utilized in small-scale and proprietary applications. Thin wooden layers impregnated with a polymeric resin were used to construct the enormous wings of the extraordinary Hughes H-4 Hercules amphibious aircraft, eschewing aluminum in favor of something lighter weight.
This became a common tactic in aircraft design during WWII, when the aerospace sector became the leading consumer in the immature polymer composite market. Nowadays, commercial passenger planes routinely use composites in their flight control systems, wings, and airframes. In fact, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner comprises as much as 50% carbon composite materials.
Fabricated parts are increasingly adopted at similarly significant scales to resolve unique challenges in modern aviation. While composites are widely integrated for structural applications, fabricated parts are used to enhance passenger safety and comfort in a number of ways. This is primarily due to the outstanding variety of materials currently suitable for manufacturing fabricated thermal, smoke, and sound barriers.
Insulating the fuselage of aircraft requires a thermodynamically stable product that performs according to international standards. It must also be conformable to fit into tight voids with awkward geometries, airtight, and provide effective protection from loss of gas and emissions. Hence the increasing use of fabricated parts in the aviation sector. They can effectively insulate aircraft, provide effective fire and smoke isolation for cargo holds, and help maintain safe and comfortable ambient conditions throughout flights.
THERMOPAK® Fabricated Parts from Mid-Mountain Materials, Inc.
Mid-Mountain Materials, Inc. has extensive experience in delivering high-performance fabricated parts to the aviation sector. Our THERMOPAK® and ARMATEX® range of products are uniquely suited for aircraft design, with exceptional thermal stability and outstanding sealing properties. These are produced from a broad underlying materials base, providing consistent performance in operating temperatures as high as 2760°C (5000°F). They can also be fabricated and die-cut to tight tolerances, ensuring the best form fit in sealing applications We offer a broad range of fabricated parts for the aviation sector on request, including cargo liners, firewall blankets, seals and barriers, sound insulation, and much more. If you would like to learn more about our fabricated parts for the aviation market, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team directly.
