On April 15, 1952 the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress was first introduced to the world as the largest strategic bomber in the air, capable of weapon payloads up to 70,000 lbs.
Although Boeing ended production in 1962 (total production: 744) this amazing aircraft is still in service! There have been scheduled program ends, removal and subsequent reinstatement to service, and along the way many upgrades, including engines, avionics, weapons delivery systems and multiple structural and wear components.
The B-52 has proven its worth as a nuclear deterrent but has also shown its value from Vietnam to Desert Storm where 40% of the weapons dropped were from the belly of a B-52.
Replacing A “Lost” Material with a New and Improved Alternative
Enter TriStar Plastics as we partnered with Boeing engineers to find a replacement for a material that was critical to the aircraft but no longer manufactured.
As our engineering team began the process of reviewing the multiple locations where this material was to be used, we went to the archives and were able to locate a formulation similar to the original material used in the 60s and 70s. This served as a starting point for us to come up with a replacement.
As we worked the goals came into focus. This material needed to be physically strong, have low friction and long wear properties, operate in -60 to +450°F application areas and be machinable to very intricate geometries. We were also presented with a very specific coefficient of friction requirement which required consultation with Boeing on geometry changes to fulfill. Also, the K-factor specification had to meet a 10-year service expectation.
With the Parameters Defined We Worked with our Compounders to Develop the Replacement Material
Our engineers were able to work with our resin suppliers to develop a material to meet the expectations of Boeing and the US Air Force. After 2 years of intense testing and occasional tweaks to the material composition and manufacturing process, they approved our proprietary solution to accommodate multiple part configurations with one material.
Put TriStar's Engineering Expertise and Materials Knowledge to Work for You
TriStar’s engineering team has decades of experience with high performance materials and our history of application knowledge often points us in the right direction early in the process. While this process was a bit more complicated than most, our experience in fluoropolymers and other high-performance materials, allowed us to fix what needed fixing on the latest generation of upgrades to this amazing aircraft that will fly for another 20-30 years!
TriStar is proud to partner with the aerospace industry as new aircraft and the associated critical components are rapidly evolving to meet new demands. From microwave systems to landing gear components, our engineers are standing by to help you source polymers and composites for critical components.
Consultative Engineering For Optimal Material Selection
