Virtually every aircraft flies with a piece of voestalpine

Board, take off, arrive safely. There is one main prerequisite when it comes to the ease and freedom of flying: safety. Through its products, voestalpine is playing its (aerospace) part on virtually every flight worldwide.

voestalpine has already been active in aerospace for over 100 years. Back in around 1912, valve cones made of rapid steel were successfully used to build the Zeppelin airship and Claviersait wire from the Böhler brothers was used to build airplanes. These many years of experience coupled with high-tech foresight provide the foundation the Group needs to lift off with aerospace. It is the basis for the trusting partnership with customers worldwide who entrust voestalpine with the production of extremely complex, highly stressed, safety-critical, and weight-reduced components.

Higher, faster, lighter

Today, companies in the High Performance Metals and Metal Forming divisions are established suppliers in the aerospace segment. The portfolio ranges from high-performance materials in the shape of rods, profiles, billets, sheets, and plates to special forgings that are practically ready-to-install. Produced from stainless steel, nickel-based alloys, and titanium, the material of the future, the voestalpine product range meets the comprehensive requirements of the aerospace industry. The fact that almost all production steps—from melting to finishing—are in the hands of the Group is a decisive factor in ensuring the highest quality standards.

The manufacturing companies at a glance

Austria

• voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl, Kapfenberg
• voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace, Kapfenberg
• voestalpine BÖHLER Bleche, Mürzzuschlag
• voestalpine BÖHLER Profil, Bruckbach

Brazil

• Villares Metals, Sumaré

USA

• voestalpine Roll Forming Corporation, Shelbyville, Kentucky

Worldwide

• Value Added Services locations of the High Performance Metals Division

Always on board

voestalpine products are used in three essential areas of the aircraft: the fuselage, the engine, and the landing gear—from the seat tracks used to anchor the passenger seats in the cabin to the mounts that connect the wing to the engine. The parts are highly stressed, usually safety-critical components that have to withstand high temperatures, mechanical loads, or rotation.

Performance without compromiseIn aerospace, the top priority is the safety and quality of the produced parts and components. That is why suppliers are subject to strict norms and standards. voestalpine is no exception. Regular comprehensive certifications and approvals, from official bodies and the customers themselves, are a basic prerequisite for being allowed to supply the aerospace industry at all. The voestalpine manufacturing companies have all the necessary certifications and also special customer approvals of all well-known aerospace manufacturers. In order to be allowed to continue doing business in this segment, some companies undergo a statistical audit every week.

Stay tuned

Would you like to know what surfboards and penguins have to do with producing voestalpine aerospace parts? Over the next few weeks, you will learn a great deal about the manufacturing companies and their product portfolios. Check out upcoming blogs to find out the solution to the riddle.