Aircraft and all airspace travel objects are one of the most delicate and special traveling objects. Building them requires great expertise and specific materials for special materials. Most of these materials are metals and have to have some unique properties before being used for the construction of these traveling objects. Key factors for these materials are conductivity, elasticity, the density of the material, malleability, ductility, toughness, and fusibility. Aircraft need to be built with a lot of care, failure to do so would lead to loss of human life and construction materials which are highly priced.
Metal should have a great ability to conduct electricity and heat. This has been important when welding materials as it determines the amount of heat required to allow proper fusion. Different metals weld and contract at specific temperatures and this should be determined for all types of metals. A good material to construct electricity parts should be a good conductor of heat and electricity. Without this, the material would be considered not fit for the construction of aviation materials. Some conductors include copper and aluminum.
The hardness of a metal is also one major to be considered when choosing a material for aviation. It is the ability of a material to withstand cutting, penetration and can be formed in their finished desired state without being affected. Metal should be tough to withstand harsh conditions as deformation and stress without breaking. It should also not tear as it should be tough. The density of the metal is another important factor to be included when choosing these metals. Balance and weight are crucial factors for an aircraft to balance. It is usually expressed in terms of weight per cubic meter.
A metal should also have the ability to be curved without cracking or breaking. This is vital for parts such as cowlings, fairing, and wingtips. metal such as copper is fit for these parts as it is always malleable. A property close to malleability is the metal’s ductility. It allows the metal to be drawn to different shapes without losing integrity. This property has been crucial in Makin tubes and wires. Brittleness, however, is the opposite of malleability and it is not a very desirable property. Aluminum is one of the hardest metals, making it brittle and it is not very good to use in an aircraft.
Other than the above properties, thermal expansion is another factor to be considered. This is the expansion and contraction of materials and it affects welding, casting, and tolerances required for hot metals. In aircraft maintenance and repair, a slight deviation from design specification may result in hue loses. Knowledge of the strengths, weaknesses, and use of structural metals is a vital property to construct and maintain much equipment. Aviation is a large industry practiced worldwide and requires the best of materials and expertise to keep improving and expanding the industry. Failure to adhere to this, the industry is bound to incur losses.