台灣製造NO.1！ 搶下美國F-35戰鬥機鋁合金訂單 (F35 Aluminum)
CP-MG 20180320 09:30
資料來源：自由時報、中時電子報、Wiki
圖片來源：法新社
台灣製造揚威國際！座落於桃園新屋約有160名員工的燁鋒鋁合金工廠，搶下全球最強戰鬥機F-35鋁合金訂單，連波音公司、空中巴士、中科院火箭都採購他們的鋁合金材料。
據《天下雜誌》報導，生產經國號戰機彈射座椅的英國馬丁貝克公司，於7年前找上燁鋒，製作飛行員彈射椅背後的鋁管，從此燁鋒就成為該公司唯一供應商。到了3年前，馬丁貝克公司負責設計F-35彈射座椅，便由燁鋒製作鋁管。
據《TVBS》報導，這間桃園工廠在過程中擊敗來自美國和德國的勁敵，才能為F-35製造商供應鋁合金。工廠裡專門生產鋁板、鋁棒與鋁管，還有美國航空業座椅系統、戰機彈射椅軌道等特殊型材。此外，日本製造了90％的全球相機長鏡頭，其中60％材料就是來自燁鋒。
研發工程師劉京鑫表示，工廠依照航太標準AMS4050規範生產，客戶若有問題都能追溯產品的源頭。報導中指出，工廠的運作方式是將美國進口的鋁扁錠裁切後，進行熱壓延達到指定厚度再加工。之後鋁合金還要經過拉伸測試，最後才能印上編號。
工廠董事長劉光輝認為，未來三年營收將超越1倍達到20億以上，目標放在航太材料上，也會製造國機國造66架高教機的材料。
事實上，台灣製造的戰機組件，有80％至90％都是外銷，從2013年營業額7億8000萬元，提升到2016年11億元，箇中原因就是歐美訂單攀升、製程與技術的提高。對於高品質的堅持，讓台灣製造的航太鋁合金攻進國際市場。
在國際航太工業頗具聲望的燁鋒輕合金公司，發展航太級鋁板系列產品有成，船艦用鋁板更通過了國產全製程鋁合金板材第一家DNV認證，且獲歐洲及澳洲採用，廣泛採用於軍艦及造船業。
於節能減碳及輕量化的趨勢下，鋁合金板材成為現代航空及航海業所廣泛採用的材料，但應力消除、耐腐蝕能力、疲勞壽命（抗金屬疲勞）等是技術關鍵所在。燁鋒輕合金5083-H321、116材料，經由過飽和時效熱處理製程後，於應力消除、耐腐蝕能力、壽命上均有卓越的表現，因此深受北美、南美洲、歐洲、中亞澳等國際使用者的好評，用於航海材料，業績持續成長。
燁鋒輕合金是國內唯一同時具有航太級鋁板、鋁管、鋁棒全製程能力的鋁合金材料大廠，也是美國以外少有的全方位專業廠，已獲得德國TUV認證之ISO 9001、ISO 14001品質認證以及法國貝爾認證之AS 9100航太認證，產品項目包含鋁板、鋁棒、無縫鋁管、特殊擠型材料，航太主要用材為2024、7050、7075、7175等，製作條件為T351、T451、T651、T7351、T7451、T7651，如何使材料強度高，耐蝕性佳，疲勞壽命長，是航太材料的重點要求。
近幾年燁鋒系列產品於航空內裝配備、傳動組件與醫療器材等市場大有斬獲，已成為波音（Boeing）、空巴（AirBus）使用之三大飛機內裝公司（BE Aerospace、Weber Aircraft、Recaro）主要材料供應廠，另該公司鋁擠型產品發展飛機結構件與傳動組件市場有成，於2013年與巴西航空簽訂液壓管供應合約，此外亦已攻入醫療器材市場（如義肢、人工關節、輪椅等），已供應全球醫療器材業者。
鋁合金材料專家的燁鋒輕合金董事長劉光輝及其專業團隊，鑽研鋁合金生產技術（包括鋁擠型、鋁板）達30餘年，於材料的物性掌握及加工及檢驗技術擁有獨到的Know How，也因此燁鋒輕合金系列產品得以貼近國際產業脈動，以媲美歐美品質及價格競爭優勢，贏得國際大廠的肯定，為了滿足國際及國內海軍、海巡署、造船業等船艦用鋁板需求，該公司更就熱處理製程申請美國NADCAP認證。
劉光輝表示，燁鋒一直堅持根留台灣，無論是過去及未來的中科新廠計畫，均以台灣為首要考量，4年前燁鋒所購置桃園新屋工業區占地8,000坪廠地，隨著業績規模的持續擴大，已不敷使用，因此規畫了中科園區新廠，將再斥資10餘億資金，引進先進的熱軋機、固熔爐、應力釋放等設備，提升整體的競爭力。
Aerospace Aluminium alloy
Aluminium alloy
Welded aluminium alloy bicycle frame, made in the 1990s.Aluminium alloys (or aluminum alloys; see spelling differences) are alloys in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tin and zinc. There are two principal classifications, namely casting alloys and wrought alloys, both of which are further subdivided into the categories heat-treatable and non-heat-treatable. About 85% of aluminium is used for wrought products, for example rolled plate, foils and extrusions. Cast aluminium alloys yield cost-effective products due to the low melting point, although they generally have lower tensile strengths than wrought alloys. The most important cast aluminium alloy system is Al–Si, where the high levels of silicon (4.0–13%) contribute to give good casting characteristics. Aluminium alloys are widely used in engineering structures and components where light weight or corrosion resistance is required.[1]
Alloys composed mostly of aluminium have been very important in aerospace manufacturing since the introduction of metal-skinned aircraft. Aluminium-magnesium alloys are both lighter than other aluminium alloys and much less flammable than alloys that contain a very high percentage of magnesium.[2]
Aluminium alloy surfaces will develop a white, protective layer of aluminium oxide if left unprotected by anodizing and/or correct painting procedures. In a wet environment, galvanic corrosion can occur when an aluminium alloy is placed in electrical contact with other metals with more positive corrosion potentials than aluminium, and an electrolyte is present that allows ion exchange. Referred to as dissimilar-metal corrosion, this process can occur as exfoliation or as intergranular corrosion. Aluminium alloys can be improperly heat treated. This causes internal element separation, and the metal then corrodes from the inside out.[citation needed]
Aluminium alloy compositions are registered with The Aluminum Association. Many organizations publish more specific standards for the manufacture of aluminium alloy, including the Society of Automotive Engineersstandards organization, specifically its aerospace standards subgroups,[3] and ASTM International.
Contents [hide]
Engineering use and aluminum alloys properties[edit]
Aluminium alloy bicycle wheel. 1960s Bootie Folding CycleAluminium alloys with a wide range of properties are used in engineering structures. Alloy systems are classified by a number system (ANSI) or by names indicating their main alloying constituents (DIN and ISO). Selecting the right alloy for a given application entails considerations of its tensile strength, density, ductility, formability, workability, weldability, and corrosion resistance, to name a few. A brief historical overview of alloys and manufacturing technologies is given in Ref.[4] Aluminium alloys are used extensively in aircraft due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. On the other hand, pure aluminium metal is much too soft for such uses, and it does not have the high tensile strength that is needed for airplanes and helicopters.
Aluminium alloys versus types of steel[edit]Aluminium alloys typically have an elastic modulus of about 70 GPa, which is about one-third of the elastic modulus of most kinds of steel and steel alloys. Therefore, for a given load, a component or unit made of an aluminium alloy will experience a greater deformation in the elastic regime than a steel part of identical size and shape. Though there are aluminium alloys with somewhat-higher tensile strengths than the commonly used kinds of steel, simply replacing a steel part with an aluminium alloy might lead to problems.
With completely new metal products, the design choices are often governed by the choice of manufacturing technology. Extrusions are particularly important in this regard, owing to the ease with which aluminium alloys, particularly the Al–Mg–Si series, can be extruded to form complex profiles.
In general, stiffer and lighter designs can be achieved with Aluminium alloy than is feasible with steels. For instance, consider the bending of a thin-walled tube: the second moment of area is inversely related to the stress in the tube wall, i.e. stresses are lower for larger values. The second moment of area is proportional to the cube of the radius times the wall thickness, thus increasing the radius (and weight) by 26% will lead to a halving of the wall stress. For this reason, bicycle frames made of aluminium alloys make use of larger tube diameters than steel or titanium in order to yield the desired stiffness and strength. In automotive engineering, cars made of aluminium alloys employ space frames made of extruded profiles to ensure rigidity. This represents a radical change from the common approach for current steel car design, which depend on the body shells for stiffness, known as unibody design.
Aluminium alloys are widely used in automotive engines, particularly in cylinder blocks and crankcases due to the weight savings that are possible. Since aluminium alloys are susceptible to warping at elevated temperatures, the cooling system of such engines is critical. Manufacturing techniques and metallurgical advancements have also been instrumental for the successful application in automotive engines. In the 1960s, the aluminium cylinder heads of the Corvair earned a reputation for failure and stripping of threads, which is not seen in current aluminium cylinder heads.
An important structural limitation of aluminium alloys is their lower fatigue strength compared to steel. In controlled laboratory conditions, steels display a fatigue limit, which is the stress amplitude below which no failures occur – the metal does not continue to weaken with extended stress cycles. Aluminium alloys do not have this lower fatigue limit and will continue to weaken with continued stress cycles. Aluminium alloys are therefore sparsely used in parts that require high fatigue strength in the high cycle regime (more than 107 stress cycles).
Heat sensitivity considerations[edit]Often, the metal's sensitivity to heat must also be considered. Even a relatively routine workshop procedure involving heating is complicated by the fact that aluminium, unlike steel, will melt without first glowing red. Forming operations where a blow torch is used can reverse or remove heat treating, therefore is not advised whatsoever. No visual signs reveal how the material is internally damaged. Much like welding heat treated, high strength link chain, all strength is now lost by heat of the torch. The chain is dangerous and must be discarded.
Aluminium is subject to internal stresses and strains. Sometimes years later, as is the tendency of improperly welded aluminium bicycle frames to gradually twist out of alignment from the stresses of the welding process. Thus, the aerospace industry avoids heat altogether by joining parts with rivets of like metal composition, other fasteners, or adhesives.
Stresses in overheated aluminium can be relieved by heat-treating the parts in an oven and gradually cooling it—in effect annealing the stresses. Yet these parts may still become distorted, so that heat-treating of welded bicycle frames, for instance, can result in a significant fraction becoming misaligned. If the misalignment is not too severe, the cooled parts may be bent into alignment. Of course, if the frame is properly designed for rigidity (see above), that bending will require enormous force.
Aluminium's intolerance to high temperatures has not precluded its use in rocketry; even for use in constructing combustion chambers where gases can reach 3500 K. The Agena upper stage engine used a regeneratively cooled aluminium design for some parts of the nozzle, including the thermally critical throat region; in fact the extremely high thermal conductivity of aluminium prevented the throat from reaching the melting point even under massive heat flux, resulting in a reliable, lightweight component.
Household wiring[edit]Main article: Aluminium wireBecause of its high conductivity and relatively low price compared with copper in the 1960s, aluminium was introduced at that time for household electrical wiring in North America, even though many fixtures had not been designed to accept aluminium wire. But the new use brought some problems:
Another way to forestall the heating problem is to crimp the aluminium wire to a short "pigtail" of copper wire. A properly done high-pressure crimp by the proper tool is tight enough to reduce any thermal expansion of the aluminium. Today, new alloys, designs, and methods are used for aluminium wiring in combination with aluminium terminations.
Welded aluminium alloy bicycle frame, made in the 1990s.Aluminium alloys (or aluminum alloys; see spelling differences) are alloys in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tin and zinc. There are two principal classifications, namely casting alloys and wrought alloys, both of which are further subdivided into the categories heat-treatable and non-heat-treatable. About 85% of aluminium is used for wrought products, for example rolled plate, foils and extrusions. Cast aluminium alloys yield cost-effective products due to the low melting point, although they generally have lower tensile strengths than wrought alloys. The most important cast aluminium alloy system is Al–Si, where the high levels of silicon (4.0–13%) contribute to give good casting characteristics. Aluminium alloys are widely used in engineering structures and components where light weight or corrosion resistance is required.[1]
Alloys composed mostly of aluminium have been very important in aerospace manufacturing since the introduction of metal-skinned aircraft. Aluminium-magnesium alloys are both lighter than other aluminium alloys and much less flammable than alloys that contain a very high percentage of magnesium.[2]
Aluminium alloy surfaces will develop a white, protective layer of aluminium oxide if left unprotected by anodizing and/or correct painting procedures. In a wet environment, galvanic corrosion can occur when an aluminium alloy is placed in electrical contact with other metals with more positive corrosion potentials than aluminium, and an electrolyte is present that allows ion exchange. Referred to as dissimilar-metal corrosion, this process can occur as exfoliation or as intergranular corrosion. Aluminium alloys can be improperly heat treated. This causes internal element separation, and the metal then corrodes from the inside out.[citation needed]
Aluminium alloy compositions are registered with The Aluminum Association. Many organizations publish more specific standards for the manufacture of aluminium alloy, including the Society of Automotive Engineersstandards organization, specifically its aerospace standards subgroups,[3] and ASTM International.
Contents [hide]
- 1Engineering use and aluminum alloys properties
- 2Alloy designations
- 3Applications
- 4See also
- 5References
- 6External links
Engineering use and aluminum alloys properties[edit]
Aluminium alloy bicycle wheel. 1960s Bootie Folding CycleAluminium alloys with a wide range of properties are used in engineering structures. Alloy systems are classified by a number system (ANSI) or by names indicating their main alloying constituents (DIN and ISO). Selecting the right alloy for a given application entails considerations of its tensile strength, density, ductility, formability, workability, weldability, and corrosion resistance, to name a few. A brief historical overview of alloys and manufacturing technologies is given in Ref.[4] Aluminium alloys are used extensively in aircraft due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. On the other hand, pure aluminium metal is much too soft for such uses, and it does not have the high tensile strength that is needed for airplanes and helicopters.
Aluminium alloys versus types of steel[edit]Aluminium alloys typically have an elastic modulus of about 70 GPa, which is about one-third of the elastic modulus of most kinds of steel and steel alloys. Therefore, for a given load, a component or unit made of an aluminium alloy will experience a greater deformation in the elastic regime than a steel part of identical size and shape. Though there are aluminium alloys with somewhat-higher tensile strengths than the commonly used kinds of steel, simply replacing a steel part with an aluminium alloy might lead to problems.
With completely new metal products, the design choices are often governed by the choice of manufacturing technology. Extrusions are particularly important in this regard, owing to the ease with which aluminium alloys, particularly the Al–Mg–Si series, can be extruded to form complex profiles.
In general, stiffer and lighter designs can be achieved with Aluminium alloy than is feasible with steels. For instance, consider the bending of a thin-walled tube: the second moment of area is inversely related to the stress in the tube wall, i.e. stresses are lower for larger values. The second moment of area is proportional to the cube of the radius times the wall thickness, thus increasing the radius (and weight) by 26% will lead to a halving of the wall stress. For this reason, bicycle frames made of aluminium alloys make use of larger tube diameters than steel or titanium in order to yield the desired stiffness and strength. In automotive engineering, cars made of aluminium alloys employ space frames made of extruded profiles to ensure rigidity. This represents a radical change from the common approach for current steel car design, which depend on the body shells for stiffness, known as unibody design.
Aluminium alloys are widely used in automotive engines, particularly in cylinder blocks and crankcases due to the weight savings that are possible. Since aluminium alloys are susceptible to warping at elevated temperatures, the cooling system of such engines is critical. Manufacturing techniques and metallurgical advancements have also been instrumental for the successful application in automotive engines. In the 1960s, the aluminium cylinder heads of the Corvair earned a reputation for failure and stripping of threads, which is not seen in current aluminium cylinder heads.
An important structural limitation of aluminium alloys is their lower fatigue strength compared to steel. In controlled laboratory conditions, steels display a fatigue limit, which is the stress amplitude below which no failures occur – the metal does not continue to weaken with extended stress cycles. Aluminium alloys do not have this lower fatigue limit and will continue to weaken with continued stress cycles. Aluminium alloys are therefore sparsely used in parts that require high fatigue strength in the high cycle regime (more than 107 stress cycles).
Heat sensitivity considerations[edit]Often, the metal's sensitivity to heat must also be considered. Even a relatively routine workshop procedure involving heating is complicated by the fact that aluminium, unlike steel, will melt without first glowing red. Forming operations where a blow torch is used can reverse or remove heat treating, therefore is not advised whatsoever. No visual signs reveal how the material is internally damaged. Much like welding heat treated, high strength link chain, all strength is now lost by heat of the torch. The chain is dangerous and must be discarded.
Aluminium is subject to internal stresses and strains. Sometimes years later, as is the tendency of improperly welded aluminium bicycle frames to gradually twist out of alignment from the stresses of the welding process. Thus, the aerospace industry avoids heat altogether by joining parts with rivets of like metal composition, other fasteners, or adhesives.
Stresses in overheated aluminium can be relieved by heat-treating the parts in an oven and gradually cooling it—in effect annealing the stresses. Yet these parts may still become distorted, so that heat-treating of welded bicycle frames, for instance, can result in a significant fraction becoming misaligned. If the misalignment is not too severe, the cooled parts may be bent into alignment. Of course, if the frame is properly designed for rigidity (see above), that bending will require enormous force.
Aluminium's intolerance to high temperatures has not precluded its use in rocketry; even for use in constructing combustion chambers where gases can reach 3500 K. The Agena upper stage engine used a regeneratively cooled aluminium design for some parts of the nozzle, including the thermally critical throat region; in fact the extremely high thermal conductivity of aluminium prevented the throat from reaching the melting point even under massive heat flux, resulting in a reliable, lightweight component.
Household wiring[edit]Main article: Aluminium wireBecause of its high conductivity and relatively low price compared with copper in the 1960s, aluminium was introduced at that time for household electrical wiring in North America, even though many fixtures had not been designed to accept aluminium wire. But the new use brought some problems:
- The greater coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminium causes the wire to expand and contract relative to the dissimilar metal screw connection, eventually loosening the connection.
- Pure aluminium has a tendency to creep under steady sustained pressure (to a greater degree as the temperature rises), again loosening the connection.
- Galvanic corrosion from the dissimilar metals increases the electrical resistance of the connection.
Another way to forestall the heating problem is to crimp the aluminium wire to a short "pigtail" of copper wire. A properly done high-pressure crimp by the proper tool is tight enough to reduce any thermal expansion of the aluminium. Today, new alloys, designs, and methods are used for aluminium wiring in combination with aluminium terminations.