AlMgSc Alloys for Transportation Technology

The fuselage share of the structural weight of a commercial aircraft is extremely high. A reduction in weight together with improving resistance to corrosion decisively influence the direct operating costs of fixed-route services for airlines and hence the cost effectiveness. An additional advantage is yielded by reducing the manufacturing costs of a welded structure. These requirements led Dasa Airbus to develop a welded integral fuselage construction. However, the prerequisite for this is the availability of the appropriate weldable materials, such as aluminum-magnesium-scandim alloys (AlMgSc), with the necessary technological properties and efficient welding methods. The extremely favorable properties of the AlMgSc alloys were exploited in the former Soviet Union for use in welded structures (welded housing, tanks) in spaceflight. This led to a reduction in weight together with an increase in efficiency. Within the framework of a BMBF (German Federal Ministry of Education and Research) project, a weldable, corrosion-resistant AlMgSc alloy was developed for use in transportation technology, with a focus on aeronautical applications. (Author)