Processing and machining of aerospace metals

The nature of the aerospace industry demands the utilization of metals with outstanding characteristics for several applications. Since material properties are influenced by the processing route employed in their fabrication, this chapter looks at the fabrication techniques of aerospace metals and their effect on the performance of the fabricated metals in service. Aerospace metals are traditionally processed using the ingot metallurgy process. However, the challenges associated with conventional processing techniques, such as difficulty in manufacturing complex structures, high specific weight, high cost, and material waste, make the additive manufacturing (AM) route, which yields cost and material economy, ease of fabricating intricate shapes and structures, and a low buy-to-fly ratio, the preferred route for fabricating aerospace metals. Thus increasing the market size for AM parts in the aerospace industry. The transition from conventional machining to advanced machining processes, which result in high-quality machining with less tool damage, is also discussed.