Airframe Structural Ribs

Name: Airframe Structural Ribs | Structural Panel Rib Component - Frigate
Price: 249.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Airframe structural ribs play a vital role in channeling aerodynamic and inertial loads from the skin to internal elements like spars, frames, and stringers. Any inaccuracies in rib geometry or thickness can interrupt load continuity, causing stress concentrations and early structural fatigue.

Material Specification

Aluminum 2024-T3/T4, 7075-T6, Titanium 6Al-4V (Grade 5)

Profile Geometry

“I”, “J”, or “Hat” Section, Contoured to Airfoil Profile (CAD-Matched)

Mounting Points/Hole Pattern

Lug Attachments (MS/NAS Bolts), Flanged Joints, 4–12 Fastener Holes (Hole Diameter – 4mm–12mm)

Thickness

Web – 1.5mm–6mm, Flange – 2mm–8mm (Varies by load path)

Load Capacity

Shear – 50–300 kN/m, Bending – 100–500 Nm, Compression – 75–400 kN (FEA-Validated)

Product Description

To prevent this, each rib is designed using validated stress models through nonlinear static and dynamic FEA. This ensures balanced and symmetric load transfer under both steady-state and transient conditions, preserving structural integrity throughout the aircraft’s service life.

Deflection Limits

≤1mm Deflection @ Limit Load, Natural Frequency >80 Hz

Surface Treatment

Alodine (Aluminum), Passivation (Titanium), Epoxy Primer (CFRP), Anodizing (Optional)

Dimensional Tolerances

Hole Position – ±0.1mm, Profile Contour – ±0.3mm, Flatness – ≤0.2mm/m

Non-Destructive Testing Requirements

Ultrasonic Testing (UT), Dye Penetrant (PT), X-ray (RT for Hybrid Joints)

Certification Standards

AMS 4037 (Aluminum), AMS 4911 (Titanium), FAA FAR 25.571, ISO 9001/AS9100

Technical Advantages

Structural ribs contribute significantly to the overall wing and fuselage weight budget. For programs targeting aggressive structural efficiency ratios, ribs are fabricated from high-strength aluminum-lithium or Ti-6Al-4V alloys, optimized through topology algorithms that maintain rigidity along critical axes. Compliance with allowable strain limits under both limit and ultimate loads is ensured through iterative design-validation cycles using coupled structural-thermal simulations. The result is a structural component that achieves required moment of inertia targets while remaining within the specified areal density threshold.

Misalignments during final airframe assembly arise from poor control over flange flatness, hole true position, and contour fidelity. Ribs are machined on 5-axis CNC platforms with closed-loop metrology to maintain geometric tolerances within ±20 µm on mating surfaces and ±10 µm for locating features. Datum structures are designed to interface with spar and stringer assemblies with high repeatability across production lots. Dimensional conformance is verified through CMM inspection routines with 100% data logging for traceability, enabling precise mating during robotic or manual join operations.

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Industry Applications

Wing Box Assembly

Provides transverse stiffness and transfers aerodynamic loads between spars and skins in multi-spar wing box architectures under high bending moments.

Fuselage Frame Integration

Supports pressure bulkhead and floor beam attachments, maintaining cross-sectional shape and resisting ovalization in pressurized fuselage sections.

Empennage Load Distribution

Transfers elevator and rudder loads to tail spars, ensuring torsional rigidity and flutter resistance in horizontal and vertical stabilizers.

Nacelle Structural Support

Maintains radial stiffness around engine mounts, helping dissipate vibratory loads from turbofan engines into the pylon or wing root.

Landing Gear Bay Structure

Forms boundary components for gear well enclosures, resisting high transient loads during retraction, deployment, and ground impact events.

Fuel Tank Compartmentalization

Acts as internal baffle support within integral wing fuel tanks, preventing slosh and maintaining structural isolation across tank bays.

Thermomechanical Compatibility With Composite and Metal Substructures

Differential thermal expansion between dissimilar materials causes structural distortion and joint fatigue during altitude transitions. Material selection is based on matching the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the rib and adjacent structures, whether they are CFRP skins, monolithic aluminum spars, or hybrid joints.

Large-span ribs are susceptible to torsional instabilities and aeroelastic divergence at critical Mach numbers. Design verification includes frequency response analysis and flutter margin calculations based on modal assurance criterion (MAC) and aerodynamic damping coefficients.

Having Doubts? Our FAQ

Check all our Frequently Asked Question

How does Frigate control geometric distortion during machining of monolithic airframe ribs?

Frigate uses pre-stress heat treatment and fixture-based constraint strategies before rough machining to minimize residual stress release. Intermediate stress-relief cycles are incorporated for long-span ribs to prevent warping. Multi-axis synchronized CNC systems execute low-force toolpaths to reduce distortion. Final profiles are verified using high-resolution CMM scans with deviation mapping.

What is Frigate’s method for maintaining hole true position in multi-stack rib assemblies?

Frigate employs precision-bored pilot features aligned through dowel pins during batch machining of rib stacks. Bore locations are controlled within ±10 microns using probe-compensated tooling paths. To address stack-up error, Frigate uses adaptive fixturing with real-time positional feedback. This ensures accurate fastener alignment in structural joints subjected to shear and tension.

How does Frigate validate the structural performance of rib designs before manufacturing?

Frigate performs nonlinear static and dynamic FEA simulations using customer-supplied load cases and constraints. Failure modes such as local buckling, joint fatigue, and out-of-plane warping are predicted during the digital twin validation stage. Modal and frequency response data are used to assess vibration compatibility. Results guide material selection and machining tolerances to align with program performance targets.

How are Frigate’s ribs adapted for hybrid assemblies involving both composite and metallic elements?

Frigate designs ribs with tailored interfaces based on CTE compatibility between adjoining materials. Titanium inserts or isolators are added where dissimilar material joints are required. Joint design accounts for through-thickness thermal cycling and edge delamination risks in adjacent composite laminates. All hybrid designs undergo joint durability analysis under temperature-altitude cycling conditions.

What traceability controls does Frigate implement for serialized rib production?

Frigate uses a digital manufacturing execution system (MES) to track each rib’s material lot, machining parameters, and inspection data. Every unit is serialized with a digital thread linking back to CAD, CAM, and metrology data. SPC dashboards monitor key metrics like flange thickness, bore alignment, and surface profile. This traceability framework supports AS9100D and NADCAP compliance across all aerospace programs.

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