Optimization of the manufacturing sequence in Al-Li alloy systems used in the aerospace industry

2006年加拿大铝转化技术路线图显示，为了保持铝作为运输业等所有行业首选材料的战略地位，必须在开发高强度、高刚度铝合金和开发更便宜的铝转化工艺方面取得重大进展。由于Al正面临来自碳基复合材料的竞争，因此这种说法是关键的。作为航空铝合金牌号的主要制造商，美铝积极应对这一挑战，最近开发出了第三代铝锂合金。然而，合金开发的现有技术需要优化加工条件，这对于这些新合金来说还远未实现。本研究计划研究挤压、搅拌摩擦焊和自由成形三种制造工艺，并研究两种Al-Li合金2099和2199性能改善的工艺参数。Alcoa将这三种工艺的技术诀窍确定为在将合金用于飞机部件之前的关键技术。该项目是麦吉尔大学和拉瓦尔大学的研究人员共同努力的结果，这两所大学是REGAL和Alcoa的两个机构成员。

The Canadian Road Map on Transformation Technology of Aluminum 2006 revealed that in order for aluminum to maintain its strategic position as a material of choice in all industries like the transportation industry, significant progress must be made in the development of high-strength, high-stiffness aluminium alloys and the development of cheaper processes for the transformation of Al. For the aerospace industry, this statement is critical since Al is facing competition from carbon-based composites. Alcoa, which is the major manufacturer of aerospace Al alloy grades, is well engaged in taking up this challenge and has recently developed a third generation of Al-Li alloys. However, the state of the art in alloy development requires optimization of the processing conditions, which is far from being achieved for these new alloys. This research proposal is to study three manufacturing processes: extrusion, friction-stir welding and freeforming, as well as studying processing variables for property improvement of two Al-Li alloys, namely 2099 and 2199. The know-how for these three processes was identified by Alcoa as critical prior to the alloy's utilization in aircraft components. This project is a joint effort by researchers from McGill and Laval University, two of the institutional members of REGAL and Alcoa.