Stiffer, stronger, lighter

AMC (Aerospace Metal Composites) of Farnborough has announced the launch of Xfine – its finest grade of metal composite to date. Launching at the Farnborough International Airshow, Xfine is more refined than AMC's existing grades, taking the material into the nano scale. The aluminium composite is even easier to process to finished parts and has outstanding mechanical properties to realise ultimate product performance.

Xfine - the next generation Aluminium Nano Composite for applications in high stability lightweight and isotropic structures and systems - has been developed using more than 15 years of experience in high performance applications ranging from motorsports chassis and engines to precision engineering.

The aluminium composite is stiffer than titanium whilst maintaining lightweight characteristics consistent with aluminium alloys. Xfine offers a significant strength improvement, 50% greater than the conventional matrix alloy, approaching that of titanium. Major component life advantages can be gained from the outstanding fatigue performance with more than 2.5 times the fatigue limit at 10 million cycles.

AMC has achieved these unparalleled properties through careful control of its proprietary process technology and refinement of the aluminium composite into the nano scale. The advantage of the Xfine structures goes beyond the mechanical performance because the new aluminium composite may be machined using conventional tools rather than relying mainly on PCD. This enhances the use of high speed machining to fine finish and tolerances for a wide range of engineering components.

Tribological characteristics of the Xfine aluminium composite provide a substantial advantage through non-aggressive and low friction surfaces that offer outstanding wear resistance. High thermal stability is a further benefit with up to six times the retained strength after thermal exposure when compared to the aluminium matrix alloy.

Capabilities for near net shape processing technologies are further developed with the Xfine materials allowing effective materials utilisation through precision forging and shaping techniques. The aluminium nano composite will be available in a range of product forms, including forgings and extrusions. AMC billet sizes will be offered at up to 150kg or 710mm diameter.

AMC's technical director, Dr Jonathan Silk commented: “The new Xfine materials are a major step forward in terms of mechanical performance and processing capability. We are working with our customers to assist them in building upon the existing experience to achieve life, performance and cost benefits from the Xfine materials. We have invested significant resources to realise a material with a unique combination of engineering properties including high strength, stiffness, toughness and durability.”

www.amc-mmc.co.uk