Diffusion Bonded Structures for Application to Air Transport Aircraft

A new product, “diffusion bonded structures,” is now available for utilization by aircraft designers for application to air transport aircraft. This new product is fabricated by an old proved joining process called solid-state diffusion bonding. This joining process has been used over the centuries and is currently being successfully utilized in the manufacture of aircraft landing gears. This same process can now be applied to the manufacture of titanium structures to new sizes and structural shapes. The aircraft designer can now arrange the material he requires in the location he desires and have his design manufactured with current technology. These structures, when tested, fail without any regard to the location of the joint, and in some applications fail at loads higher than those achievable with current material forms due to improved material properties. These structures, which can be inspected with nondestructive test methods to insure quality, can be utilized to save weight, reduce cost, and reduce lead times. The cost of these structures varies considerably, depending upon part sizes, shapes, complexity, and quantities.