The Boeing Company

Burke L Reichlinger

John A Baumann

David P Heck

Kenneth D Cominsky

James P Dobberfuhl

Russell W Cochran

Michael R Zolnowski

Paul N Wilson

Michael P Shemkunas

Eric Erwin Thomas

Matthew D Uhlman

Iulian Gheorghe

Steven Scott Heer

Benjamin D Smith

Brien J McElroy

Steven S Heer

A method for heat treating an additively manufactured A205 aluminum alloy component ('AM205 component') to produce a uniform grain distribution within the AM205 component is disclosed. The method includes solution aging the AM205 component at a first temperature for a first time period, wherein the first time period is less than five hours and overaging the AM205 component after the solution aging.

Heat treatment of additively manufactured aluminum alloy

Provided are wingtip torque boxes and methods of fabricating such boxes using friction stir welding. Specifically, a wingtip torque box may be formed by friction stir welding two monolithic clamshells along their respective spars thereby forming a new monolithic structure. Use of the friction stir welding and monolithic clamshells simplifies the overall fabrication process and yields a robust wingtip torque box that can be bolted on or otherwise attached to an aircraft wing. The wingtip torque box may include internal grid stiffeners and/or external stiffeners that may be also monolithic with other components of the box. For example, the stiffeners may be machined in spars or skin portions of the clamshells during fabrication of clamshells. The wingtip torque box may have a continuous cavity extending between the ends and, in some embodiments, between spars of the box and providing access for performing various operations inside the box.

Friction stir welded wingtip torque box

A copper-free wrought aluminum alloy product and method for producing the same are provided. In one example, the alloy has a composition of about 0.01 to about 1.5 weight percent silver; about 1.0 to about 3.0 weight percent magnesium; about 4.0 to about 10.0 weight percent zinc; about 0.05 to about 0.25 weight percent zirconium; a maximum of 0.15 weight percent iron; a maximum of 0.15 weight percent silicon; and a remainder including aluminum, incidental elements, and impurities. In one example, the alloy may be used to manufacture structural elements for aircraft.

Aluminum zinc magnesium silver alloy

Growing community of inventors

Kent, WA, United States of America

Burke L Reichlinger