Substitution of Titanium with a New High Strength Aluminium Alloy

Important results from the project

The goal was achieved. The new aluminum material was evaluated for its tensile properties at both room temperature and elevated temperatures and compared to the titanium alloys.

Expected long term effects

Mechanical properties of the new aluminum alloys were found to be significantly lower than those of titanium alloys, indicating that a direct material substitution is not feasible at this stage. Further development, including alloy design and optimization of post-additive manufacturing processes, is necessary to enhance the performance of the aluminum alloys.

Approach and implementation

There is deviation between the initial plan and implementation. In the original plan, a titanium alloy component was intended be manufactured using the new aluminum alloy via Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) process. However, the development of parameters for LPBF with the new alloy required considerably more resources and time than anticipated, preventing the production of the component. Additionally, the new material is not yet ready to the titanium alloy currently in use.