Sheet-Metal Construction |
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INTRODUCTION
In the early years of aviation, aircraft structural repair required a knowledge of woodworking, dope and fabric, and tubular and flat steel plate welding. After all-metal airplanes were developed, structural assembly and repair of aircraft involved a much greater proportion of sheet-metal work and a declining amount of work involving wood, fabric, and welding. Metal aircraft utilize aluminum alloy, magnesium, titanium, stainless steel, aluminum alloy bonded sandwich (honeycomb), glass fiber, advanced composite materials, and other exotic materials. The thicknesses are from thin sheet (up to 0.080 in ...