Materials News

Lighter pipe alternatives for airplanes

The pipe system is the first alternative to metal tubing and provides a significant weight saving potential due to its lightweight and thin wall features. The new system includes pipe and fittings made of Victrex PEEK polymer, thus delivering a one material solution.

A typical straight 1" PEEK pipe with an outer diameter OD 25.4 mm and 1 mm wall thickness weighs 100 g/m without fittings, offering a weight reduction of up to 60% compared to an equivalent stainless steel straight pipe. Additionally, VICTREX pipes are not only made of an aerospace approved polymer, but they are robust, easy to install, have good vibration and dampening properties and offer a high degree of design freedom with ability to be bent and formed, says the company.