Many know manufacturer Rolls-Royce as an automobile manufacturer. But Rolls-Royce is a leader in aircraft engines as well. Rolls Royce built their first aircraft engine in 1915 which was used in the Hawk, Falcon, and Condor planes in the First World War. Rolls-Royce built the Merlin engine which became part of the Spitfire aircraft and was used in 1940 in the Battle of Britain.
Since the early days of the aircraft industry, leading manufacturers have built high-performance jet parts. Today, technologies such as Jet Edge ultra-high pressure waterjet systems are used for industrial precision cutting. Plastics are also widely used as high-performance aircraft parts in aerospace and aviation such as those provided by Ensinger.
According to Ensigner, using high-performance plastic in aerospace and aviation provides:
- Weight savings of up to 60% compared to aluminum to reduce energy consumptions of aircraft. Plastics can be processed better than other materials.
- Greater freedom in component design results in reduced production and installation costs.
- Good chemical resistance.
- Inherent flame-resistance: High-performance plastics meet the requirements of UL 94 -V0 and fire behavior standards in accordance with FAR 25.853.
- Fire behavior with regard to: smoke gas density, smoke gas toxicity, heat release.
- High specific strength due to fibre-reinforced plastics.
- Convincing gliding properties with outstanding dry-running characteristics and freedom from maintenance in the application.
- Low outgassing in vacuum.
- Good radiation resistance.
The following video about Jet Parts Engineering, Inc. (JPE), a high-quality FAA-PMA parts supplier, shows the current state of the jet parts industry today.
