Eclipse Aviation News
"Eclipse Aviation plans to leverage advances in technology and manufacturing processes to create the Eclipse 500 - a strong, safe and affordable aircraft that will break new ground in price and performance," said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation.
Invented and patented by The Welding Institute (TWI), a British research and technology organization, friction stir welding is used to produce the main structures of the Boeing Delta family of rockets and has been approved for use in building the space shuttle's external fuel tank. Other friction stir welding applications include those in shipbuilding and marine industries.
"The benefits of friction stir welding are numerous," said Oliver Masefield, vice president of engineering for Eclipse. "It eliminates the need for thousands of rivets, resulting in reduced assembly costs. It also produces stronger, lighter more efficient joints than traditional processes."
Eclipse is working closely with MTS Systems Corporation of Eden Prairie, Minnesota and the Alcoa Technical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to develop, validate and certify the friction stir welding process for lightweight materials used in the Eclipse 500.
Friction stir welding is just one of the advanced manufacturing practices that will be applied in the design and manufacture of the Eclipse 500 jet. Other aspects of technology innovation include a commitment to high volume tooling, automation of assembly processes and the use of integrated structures to reduce part counts.
A short informational video and samples of welds created using the friction stir welding technique are available for viewing at the Eclipse Aviation exhibit located in Hall F of the Ernest Morial Convention Center, booth #3280.
About Friction Stir Welding
Friction stir welding is a machine process in which a special tool with a protruding pin is inserted between two pieces of material to be joined. The tool moves along the area to be joined while rotating at a high speed. The action between the tool and the aluminum creates frictional heat, which softens the aluminum but does not melt it. The plasticized material is then, in essence, consolidated to create one piece of metal where there were originally two.
Eclipse Aviation is in the business of designing, certifying and producing modern, affordable jet aircraft that will revolutionize the transportation market. The company is applying advanced electronics systems, manufacturing and business practices to produce aircraft that cost less than a quarter of today's small jet aircraft, will be significantly safer and easier to operate than those of today, and have the lowest cost of ownership ever achieved in a jet aircraft.
The goal of Eclipse is to bring the word "personal" into aviation, making it possible for commercial air passengers to move directly between cities on a quick, affordable and convenient basis. It will also allow pilot owners to enter the world of jet-powered aviation.