voestalpine in the aerospace industry

voestalpine companies, such as BÖHLER Schmiedetechnik, BÖHLER Edelstahl, BÖHLER Bleche, and Böhler PROFIL manufacture high-quality steel and components for the aerospace industry.

voestalpine companies supply airplane parts to Airbus and Boeing

The mobility sector is one of the most important industries for voestalpine—around 47 percent of the Group’s revenue in the business year 2013/14 was generated in the mobility sector. The aerospace industry also plays an important role, as it is currently one of the most innovative industries. At the same time, however, it is also one of the most demanding sectors as far as quality and reliability are concerned, and it places exacting demands on its suppliers.

Several voestalpine Group companies are already successfully represented in the aerospace sector. voestalpine companies, such as BÖHLER Schmiedetechnik GmbH & Co KG, BÖHLER Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG, BÖHLER Bleche GmbH & Co. KG und Böhler PROFIL GmbH, which are part of the Special Steel Division, manufacture high-quality components for the aviation industry (including for Airbus models A380 and A350):

• Engines (engine discs, rotors and parts for combustion chamber,
• Parts for wings,
• Structural parts,
• Parts for landing gear, etc.

Aircraft parts by BÖHLER Schmiedetechnik

BÖHLER Schmiedetechnik has become indispensable for the aerospace industry. Their high-quality forgings can be found in some of the most important aircraft production programs. BÖHLER Schmiedetechnik works closely with the aviation and aerospace industries as a development partner and supplier. For example, it supplies airplane parts to Airbus and Boeing, such as engine disks, engine connections, engine mounts, parts for the fuselage, and the so-called center wing box, an important part of an airplane where the wings are mounted.

Here is an example for a forged component and the force that is exerted on it. A titanium forged component weighing about 70 kg is designed to attach the engine to the pylon (the connecting part between engine and wing). It must withstand a sheer force of 115.300 lbf—more than 200,000 HP—while at the same time being as lightweight as possible.

High-performance materials by BÖHLER Edelstahl

BÖHLER special steel and alloys based on nickel and cobalt can be found in high-performance components in cells and airplane engines. They satisfy the high quality and reliability requirements that major aircraft manufacturers expect their suppliers to meet. For example, materials by BÖHLER Edelstahl are used by Airbus and Boeing in all their aircraft models. For Böhler Edelstahl, the aerospace business field is a growth area and has been since the 90s, when it began with its first deliveries to Airbus in Germany. Due to investments and resulting additions to the product portfolio, the last 14 years have seen average growth of around 14 percent per year.

Aerospace sheet metal by BÖHLER Bleche

BÖHLER Bleche is a specialist in the manufacture of cross-rolled special steel sheets and plates. By consistently developing its product portfolio, it has become a reliable partner for the aerospace industry. As a result, BÖHLER Bleche is being considered as a potential supplier for Airbus’s new programs, such as the A320neo and the A330neo product lines. In the aviation industry, special attention is being paid to future developments regarding steel- and nickel-based alloys. This is particularly important against the backdrop of the rapid development of composite materials. A composite material is a material made of two or more constituent materials. The percentage of composite materials increases with each newly developed aircraft model.

Special sections by Böhler PROFIL GmbH for the aviation industry

With more than 5,000 different special section forms, Böhler PROFIL is one of the most experienced providers of section steel worldwide. Production includes rolled and drawn special sections as well as steel bars. In the aviation sector, Böhler PROFIL is currently focusing on sealing sections for the cargo compartment hatch, guide way sections for the landing flaps, turbine ring profiles, turbine blade profiles, and fastener rails in cargo planes for the fixation of containers.