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#1
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Bonded aluminum aircraft structures
I remember seeing an article several years ago on a car company
developing a racecar using a bonded aluminum structure and rivet reinforcing. It struck me at the time that this would make an improved method of aircraft construction and I was wondering if this had been used before on homebuilt aircraft and what might be the pitfalls of such a system. My thinking is that the aircraft's aluminum skins could be attached over a wooden buck and adhesive used to attach the skins. Once the adhesive has setup, the bulkheads could be installed, holes drilled and rivets set. The rivets would still from the primary means of fastening the panels and the adhesive could serve as extra reinforcement. I suggest this as I suspect it would make for a quicker way of construction particularly as the buck could be reused for subsequent aircraft. |
#2
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"asennad" wrote in message om... I suggest this as I suspect it would make for a quicker way of construction particularly as the buck could be reused for subsequent aircraft. There are some use of aluminum adhesives in light aircraft. The Grumman Tiger for example uses it on some of the parts. |
#3
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The Grumman single engine line and the Beechcraft Musketeer line both used
bonded aluminum wing skins. It's been done successfully. Best regards, Steve Robertson N4732J 1967 Beechcraft A23-24 Musketeer asennad wrote: I remember seeing an article several years ago on a car company developing a racecar using a bonded aluminum structure and rivet reinforcing. It struck me at the time that this would make an improved method of aircraft construction and I was wondering if this had been used before on homebuilt aircraft and what might be the pitfalls of such a system. My thinking is that the aircraft's aluminum skins could be attached over a wooden buck and adhesive used to attach the skins. Once the adhesive has setup, the bulkheads could be installed, holes drilled and rivets set. The rivets would still from the primary means of fastening the panels and the adhesive could serve as extra reinforcement. I suggest this as I suspect it would make for a quicker way of construction particularly as the buck could be reused for subsequent aircraft. |
#4
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#5
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"Ron Natalie" wrote in message m... "asennad" wrote in message om... I suggest this as I suspect it would make for a quicker way of construction particularly as the buck could be reused for subsequent aircraft. There are some use of aluminum adhesives in light aircraft. The Grumman Tiger for example uses it on some of the parts. There is one thing that everyone is not mentioning, while talking of bonding aluminum. The process (that I know no more about than what has been mentioned here, in the past) is very tricky, from a prep standpoint, and quality control. It has been said that homebuilders lack the facilities and experience to reliably complete the process. -- Jim in NC |
#6
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This has been done with various degrees of success in sailplanes since the
late 1960s. Here are a few links that you might consider looking at: http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/Sc...the_HP-18.html http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/Co...all.html#wings http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/Co...all_10-80.html Schreder used bonded wings on the following models: HP-16 - http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/HP...rst_Flight.htm RS-15 - http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/RS-15/C-GPUB.html HP-18 - http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/HP-18/N15DP/N15DP.htm http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/St...03_Seniors.htm I hope you find these links helpful in your quest for the optimum construction technique. Wayne http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder P.S. I use to own an HP-16T (http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/HP-16/N16VP.html) and didn't have any problems with the bonded wings. "asennad" wrote in message om... I remember seeing an article several years ago on a car company developing a racecar using a bonded aluminum structure and rivet reinforcing. It struck me at the time that this would make an improved method of aircraft construction and I was wondering if this had been used before on homebuilt aircraft and what might be the pitfalls of such a system. My thinking is that the aircraft's aluminum skins could be attached over a wooden buck and adhesive used to attach the skins. Once the adhesive has setup, the bulkheads could be installed, holes drilled and rivets set. The rivets would still from the primary means of fastening the panels and the adhesive could serve as extra reinforcement. I suggest this as I suspect it would make for a quicker way of construction particularly as the buck could be reused for subsequent aircraft. |
#7
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#8
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"asennad" wrote in message om... My thinking is that the aircraft's aluminum skins could be attached over a wooden buck and adhesive used to attach the skins. Once the adhesive has setup, the bulkheads could be installed, holes drilled and rivets set. The rivets would still from the primary means of fastening the panels and the adhesive could serve as extra reinforcement. You don't understand the process. Follow me for a minute. If the rivets are stronger than the adhesive, the adhesive only adds weight to the structure. If the adhesive is stronger (it is by the way) then the rivets serve no purpose ...... So why are they there????? Because the rivets hold the structure in place while the adhesive cures. Holes and fasteners are the cheapest tooling you can use when gluing structure together. Older alum race car tubs got glued together and used pop rivets to hold it together while it cured. The bond lines can only accept shear loads, not peel loads so attachment of secondary structures to the tub was usually mechanical fasteners. We glued tubs together not because it was strongest, but because it was the fastest way to get it done and meet our design goals. Bonded aircraft are a similar story. Its economics vs performance. Somewhere there is a bean counter that has a curve that shows the most economical way to get it done. Scott |
#9
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I want to thank everybody who responded to my post. Great info for me
to think about. My main goal is to think about building a metal aircraft in a shorter amount of time without going to full CNC. |
#10
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"asennad" wrote in message om... I want to thank everybody who responded to my post. Great info for me to think about. My main goal is to think about building a metal aircraft in a shorter amount of time without going to full CNC. What makes you think it's going to be shorter? Something's got to hold the thing in place while the glue dries. Your one off jigs might take you longer than if you'd drilled some holes and cleco'd riveted things together. Perhaps you can get by with glue and a smaller number of rivets. |
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