Anyone working in the aviation sector is aware of the possibility of fatigue and structural failure in an aircraft. Before being considered safe and approved for flight, an aircraft must undergo stringent testing to guarantee that they can function as required.
According to Boeing, equipment failure, which includes structural failures, only accounts for about 20% of accidents in today’s aircraft. Thanks to professional aviation welding technicians, the modern structures of aircraft nowadays are much more self-sustaining and can withstand heavy loads and bad weather conditions.
Since safety is at risk, metal fatigue and failure must be taken into consideration with every maintenance inspection. In this blog post, we’ll examine what metal failure and fatigue are and how they can be avoided.
What Is Metal Fatigue In An Aircraft?
All metal airframes are subject to fatigue regularly. The metal components of an aircraft deteriorate over time as a result of extensive usage and repeated flight cycles. Thus, they ultimately need maintenance and repair.
Cracks are the first indications of metal fatigue, even though they might appear microscopic at first. However, with time and with continual aircraft usage, these cracks grow larger and finally become apparent. After its first flight, an aircraft starts to age, as corrosion and fatigue start to take their toll almost immediately.
However, aging only becomes an issue when an aircraft can no longer be maintained or can not withstand the rigors of flight. Aging aircraft show more evident indications of fatigue, which grow more detrimental as the aircraft is continuously subjected to atmospheric pressure.
As a result, an aircraft should be decommissioned after a specific number of flight cycles determined by manufacturers to assure safety. The purpose of this convention is to avoid catastrophic failures.
What Causes Aircraft Fatigue?
Over time, intense usage degrades aircraft, just as any metal object. An airplane usually experiences fatigue whenever it is in flight. The major reason why metal parts get weaker is pressure.
The loading of the wings and other surfaces repeatedly varies as a result of external exposure, turning, accelerating, decelerating, and other movements. Additionally, the metal skin of an airplane expands and contracts as a result of the frequent pressurization and depressurization that happens while flying at high altitudes.
Metal gets weaker when it is bent away from its original shape and then bent back into its original position. Engines and other large moving parts are particularly vulnerable to cracking. The high speed makes a mechanical environment vulnerable to damage, which is likely to lead to a structural collapse in moving parts sooner than motionless parts.
How To Prevent Aircraft Fatigue Failure
Although aircraft fatigue failure is a genuine problem, it can be avoided.
Regular inspections are one of the most significant techniques to prevent aircraft fatigue failure. Visible or other noticeable problems can be identified earlier due to a successful maintenance repair.
Without the use of an ultrasonic device or a related LOV standard, it is impossible to identify aircraft fatigue. However, it is essential to make sure that every aircraft is properly maintained and inspected, as fatigue can quickly progress to fatigue failure.
Polished surfaces can resist the effects of fatigue better than those that have not been polished. Additionally, it repairs any existing surface damage.
Micro-defects, such as pits, scratches, and tiny gouges, can be left on the surfaces of metal elements during manufacturing. These slight imperfections might provoke corrosion, which gets worse under flight pressure.
These flaws can be removed from surfaces by careful grinding and polishing, reducing the possibility of failure. Regular inspection is still necessary because this will not completely remove all defects in the metal.
In addition to inspection, routine maintenance is quite important. Even pre-flight inspections of the wheels, brakes, hydraulic fluid and oil levels serve to decrease friction and prevent damage to moving metal components.
About Acorn Welding
Driven by innovation and technology, we are a team of trusted aviation welding technicians and aircraft experts. From component replacements to regular inspection and repairs, we offer a range of exquisite aviation services. We also deal in vintage aircraft worldwide and are on our way to becoming the leading aviation experts. Learn more about Acorn Welding and our unique offerings.
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