Since there is no possibility of hanging so much weight on the panel to
allow it to deform, and all aluminum alloys have essentially the same
modulus of elasticity, select any conveniently available 1/8 inch / 3 mm
thick sheet stock, but you must also consider what type of finish you intend
to use. For painted or powder coating, any alloy will do, but if you intend
to anodize the panel then I recommend that you determine (I can't help you
on this part) whether the heat affected zone at the laser cut edge will
respond to anodizing in exactly the same manner as the rest of the sheet. I
would expect that the folks doing the laser cutting will be able to
recommend a suitable alloy.
The commonly available alloys in sheet form are 2024, 3003, 5052, 6061 (the
alloy I have chosen), and 7075. Although 2024 and 7075 are used extensively
for structural shapes in aircraft, these higher strength alloys are
over-kill (and over-priced) for the panel.
Best regards,
Rob Housman
Europa XS Tri-Gear A070
Airframe complete
Irvine, CA
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com]On Behalf Of Paul Stewart
Subject: Europa-List: panel material
Can anyone who has made aluminium sub panels tell me what material they
have used - thickness, type of alloy etc. Going to get them laser cut
rather than the factory versions as the instrument module has been
altered to accommodate the BMA EFIS 1.
Regards
Paul
G-GIDY
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