| SUBJECT: | ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY TESTING OF HEAT TREATABLE ALUMINIUM ALLOYS |
| 1. | PURPOSE |
| 2. | SCOPE |
| 3. | REFERENCES |
| 4. | PROCEDURES |
| 5. | PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTIVITY TESTING |
| 1 | PURPOSE |
| 1.1 | In order to assist accurate verification of the correct heat treatment and temper condition of details manufactured from heat treatable aluminium alloys, all such details are required to be subject to electrical conductivity testing, in addition to the hardness testing requirements, where applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1.2 | Where the heat treatment of such details is undertaken by an external Subcontractor on behalf of Raytheon Aircraft (known herafter as RA) either directly or indirectly (eg as a sub-tier), the requisite conductivity testing must be carried out and certified, prior to their release or incorporation into any assembly, by a conductivity testing facility approved by RA. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1.3 | Under certain circumstances, defined herein, details manufactured by external suppliers but not heat treated during manufacture, may also require conductivity testing and certification prior to release or assembly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1.4 | This instruction outlines the requirements for application, recording and certification of conductivity tests. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1.5 | Details on how RA approves Subcontractors to undertake Electrical Conductivity Testing are contained in QAIS No. Q5B-008J “Electrical Conductivity Testing of Materials – Approval Procedure” | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | SCOPE |
| 2.1 | All details manufactured from heat treatable aluminium alloys which are heat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| treated by external Subcontractors on behalf of RA. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2.2 | All details manufactured on behalf of RA from heat treatable aluminium alloys which have not been heat treated but which fall within the circumstances defined in paragraph 5.1.3. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | REFERENCES |
| 3.1 | Applicable Contract/Project Related Specifications and Standards, i.e. BAEP 9088 - Electrical Conductivity Measurement (Non-Ferromagnetic Materials), etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.2 | QAIS Q5B-008H “Control of Special Processes” Sect8h.doc - Click here to view | ||||||||||||||
| 4 | PROCEDURES |
| 4.1.1 | Conductivity testing and certification of the material and temper condition of details shall be undertaken only by a testing facility approved by RA. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4.1.2 | Conductivity testing and certification of details shall be undertaken strictly in accordance with the requirements of the appropriate specifications and this Instruction, as applicable, unless otherwise specified by contract/order. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4.1.3 | Acceptance/rejection of details shall be based upon the Tables of Conductivity Acceptance Limits contained in contract/project related specifications/standards called up by relevant contract/order, drawing, manufacturing sequence documents, etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: | In any instance where the Conductivity Acceptance Limits for the materialspecificationlcondition concerned are not quoted in the applicable specificationlstandard, reference shall be made to the RA Quality Manager. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.1 | REQUIREMENTS FOR TEST |
| 5.1.1 | Unless otherwise stated (or specified by the applicable order/contract, etc.), the following requirements shall be complied with in all instances prior to release or incorporation of aluminium alloy details into an assembly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.1.2 | ALL aluminium alloy details which are subject to heat treatment (whether as a | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| planned operation or not, i.e. as an 'aid to manufacture'), shall be conductivity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| tested as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| · Solution Heat Treated Items (e.g. following annealing to assist forming, etc.) test to confirm satisfactory response to heat treatment, i.e. the achieved conductivity readings shall fall within the defined range for the solution treated and naturally aged condition (e.g. W, T4, T42, ) for the applicable material specification. | |||
| · Prior to Artificial Ageing (Precipitation) test to ensure that material is in the | |||
| correct condition for artificial ageing | |||
| · After Artificial Ageing (Precipitation) test to confirm satisfactory response to heat treatment, i.e. the achieved conductivity readings shall fall within the defined range for the artificially aged condition (e.g. WP, T6, T62), for the applicable material specifications. |
| 5.1.3 | In addition, details which are manufactured on behalf of RA, from heat treatable aluminium alloy materials and are NOT heat treated during manufacture, shall be conductivity tested to confirm compliance with specified requirements. All items shall be tested prior to release, or prior to assembly as appropriate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.1.4 | Subcontractors who are not approved by RA to undertake conductivity testing may, by prior agreement with RA QA, meet the requirement of paragraph 5.1.3 as follows.-- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| a) | By utilising these services of a further Subcontractor holding the necessary approval. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b) | By clearly endorsing the relevant release document to indicate that requisite conductivity testing has been omitted (applicable to unassembled details only). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.2 | RECORDING AND CERTIFICATION OF TEST RESULTS |
| 5.2.1 | A ledger, or similar permanent record, shall be maintained of all conductivity tests undertaken on behalf of RA. As a minimum the following data, as applicable, shall be recorded:- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - Drawing and Part Number. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - Batch Number. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - Serial Number(s). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - Material Specification and Condition. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - Achieved Conductivity Readings. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.3 | RELEASE OF DETAILS AND ASSEMBLIES | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.3.1 | Release documents in respect of all details manufactured from aluminium alloys which have been heat treated during manufacture and assemblies containing such details, shall bear a clear certification that the requisite conductivity tests have been satisfactorily completed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.3.2 | Release documents in respect of details and assemblies as defined in paragraph 5.1.3, shall bear a similar certification. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
