Welding in the aeronautics industry is experiencing exciting developments. The widespread application of computers and the improved knowledge and design of new materials are shaping the way welding is implemented and process and product are being designed. Welds are replacing rivets in a variety of components in both military and commercial airplanes, to improve both cost and structural integrity. Diffusion, laser, and electron-beam welding are preferred in commercial aircraft, while electron-beam welding is continually gaining ground for the joining of titanium alloys in military airplanes. In large commercial airplanes, laser-beam welds are poised to replace rivets in large parts of the fuselage. Some new processes developed for the space industry also show promise for the aeronautics industry. These include friction stir welding and variable polarity plasma arc welding, which are already being used for critical applications in rockets. One process-that does not seem to have gained widespread application is the diffusion welding of aluminum alloys.
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