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Applications | Atometrics Helps Aerospace Materials Research, Advancing Aerospace Industry

2023-10-24

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Aerospace engineering is a highly technical project, and aerospace materials are materials that are widely used in the aerospace field and are mainly characterized by their lightweight, high strength, high temperature and corrosion resistance properties. These materials play a vital role in the aerospace field, and precision testing of aerospace materials is required to ensure that the material performance meets the stringent requirements of aircraft, aero-engines, airborne equipment and other key components.



The history of aerospace materials:


In the early days of aerospace engineering, metallic materials such as aluminum alloys were mainly used. These materials have excellent mechanical and molding properties, but are dense and susceptible to problems such as corrosion and durability. With the advancement of science and technology and the increase in aerospace demand, aerospace engineering has begun to use more advanced materials, such as polymers and composites. In the future, with the further development of science and technology and the increasing demand, aerospace materials will also usher in a broader development prospect.

  • Polymer materials are materials with a high molecular structure, characterized by light weight, high strength and corrosion resistance. In the aerospace industry, polymer materials are mainly used in the manufacture of aircraft fuselage, wings and other parts. For example, the fuselage of Boeing 787 aircraft is made of a large number of carbon fiber reinforced plastics. This material not only has high strength and stiffness, but also has a lower density than aluminum alloy by about 20%-30%, which can greatly reduce the weight and fuel consumption of the aircraft.

  • A composite material is a material composed of two or more materials with excellent properties and multiple functions. In aerospace engineering, composite materials are widely used to make structural materials for aircraft, rockets and other carriers. For example, the U.S. F-22 fighter jet is made of a large number of composite materials, which not only have high strength and stiffness, but also can resist the erosion of high temperature and high-speed airflow.

  • In addition to polymers and composites, a number of other materials are also widely used in aerospace engineering. For example, superconducting materials can be used in the manufacture of electromagnetic systems for aircraft, with advantages such as high efficiency, energy saving and environmental protection. Nanomaterials can be used to manufacture high-strength and high-toughness parts with excellent mechanical and physical properties.




Precision measurement needs for aerospace materials:



一、Three-dimensional morphology inspection after friction wear：

The aerospace and aviation sector requires a very high level of material safety. Frictional wear is a phenomenon that occurs when materials are in frictional contact, leading to surface wear and damage.

（1）Safety：Precision measurements of the surface roughness as well as three-dimensional morphology of the material can help assess the wear resistance of the material and ensure that the material does not wear out during use in a way that would seriously affect the safety of the vehicle.

（2）Lifespan prediction：The service life of aerospace vehicles is limited, and frictional wear of materials is an important factor contributing to the shortening of service life. By making precise measurements of friction-worn materials, it is possible to predict the life of materials and take timely repair and replacement measures to extend the life of aircraft.

（3）Material optimization：The optimization of aerospace materials is key to improving vehicle performance and efficiency. Precise measurements of friction and wear can be used to assess the wear properties of different materials and to select the most suitable material to improve the performance of the vehicle.

The following is an example of the three-dimensional morphology of the white light interferometer AM-7000 series after detecting the micro-motion friction wear of an alloy gasket：


二、Surface roughness/smoothness and curvature of ultra-smooth elements：




In the field of precision optics, elements with Ra values <0.3 nm are generally referred to as ultra-smooth (supersmooth) elements.。
（1）Reduced aerodynamic drag：Aerodynamic drag is an important issue in aerospace. The higher the surface smoothness, the lower the aerodynamic drag, and also with the appropriate curvature of the super-smooth element, it can improve the speed and fuel efficiency of the aircraft. Therefore, it is necessary to test the curvature and surface smoothness of the super-smooth element material to ensure that it meets the design requirements.

（2）Precision machining control：Ultra-smooth components usually need to be realized through precision machining, so it is necessary to carry out the measurement of the curvature, surface roughness and three-dimensional morphology of ultra-smooth components of each parameter, to ensure that the control accuracy of precision machining meets the requirements, so as to ensure the quality and efficiency of machining.

（3）Surface quality assessment：Ultra-smooth components often require quality assessment to ensure that the surface roughness, curvature and other parameters meet the requirements. Precision measuring instruments with sub-nanometer accuracy are required for this purpose.


The following is a case of surface roughness and curvature detection of ultra-smooth lenses by white light interferometer AM-7000 series:


三、Dimensional and topographic inspection of laser-machined and finish-machined parts：




（1）Size Measurement：Aerospace materials require very high dimensional accuracy, and laser processing can realize micron-level dimensional processing of materials. Precision measurement can accurately measure the dimensions after machining, evaluate the machining accuracy, and ensure that the dimensions meet the design requirements.

（2）Quality control：Precision measurement can help to monitor the quality of machining during laser processing to ensure that the results meet design requirements and avoid machining defects and quality issues. Laser processing can have a thermal impact on the surface of the material and melt phenomena, affecting the surface quality of the material. Precision measurement can assess the surface of the material after laser processing, detecting surface defects, melting areas and other problems to ensure that the surface quality of the material meets the requirements.

（3）Process optimization：The laser processing process for aerospace materials needs to be continuously optimized to meet different material and processing requirements. Precision measurement can evaluate and optimize the processing process, improve the processing quality and efficiency, and promote the application and development of laser processing technology in the aerospace field.


The following is an example of inspection of a step after laser etching of a metal gasket and the shape of the middle machined part of the gasket:


四、Coating and Film Thickness Measurement：




（1）Protection Performance Evaluation：Coatings and films are often used in the aerospace industry to provide protection against corrosion, high temperatures, and abrasion. The protective properties of a coating are closely related to its thickness, so precise measurement of the coating thickness can help to assess whether the protective properties of the coating meet the requirements.

（2）Optimization of material properties：The performance of coatings and films is often related to their thickness, e.g., the thermal isolation properties of certain coatings or films increase with thickness. By precisely measuring the thickness of a coating, it is possible to assess the effect of different thicknesses on the performance and thus optimize the thickness of coatings and films to achieve the best possible performance.

（3）QC：The thickness of coatings and films is an important quality indicator, and deviations in thickness can lead to changes in performance. Precision measurement of coating thickness can help monitor the quality of the coating preparation process to ensure that the coating thickness meets design requirements and to avoid coating quality problems.

（4）Precision Coating, Film Preparation：Precision measurement of coating and film thickness allows control of thickness uniformity and consistency, improving the quality and performance of coatings and films.

聚Polyimide (PI) films are usually characterized by radiation resistance, high temperature resistance, low temperature resistance, high transparency, low hygroscopicity, low dielectric constant and low dielectric loss, and play an important role in aerospace and aviation fields。




Atometrics white light interferometer AM-7000 series has sub-nanometer accuracy;



Maximum RMS repeatability up to 0.002nm;
With piezoelectric ceramic devices, the maximum scanning speed is 400 μm/sec;
3200Hz plus the industry's first SST+GAT algorithm.
Up to 5 million points of cloud acquisition can be done instantly;
Covering international standardized measuring tools commonly used in the market.


Efficiently and easily analyze 3D data for a wide range of applications in a variety of industries.




The Atometrics Film Thickness Gauge AF-3000 Series is accurate to 0.1nm;




Application scenarios are rich and can be used for offline, online, Mapping and other scenarios;
Up to 10 layers can be measured and customization is supported.









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