PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - 737NGs have cracked 'pickle forks' after finding several in the jets.
Old 2nd Oct 2019, 11:40
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Pilot DAR
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Join Date: Aug 2006
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its very easy to confuse a high quality casting which is painted with a forging which is painted
Indeed, by simply looking at the part, it could be very difficult to distinguish between cast or forged as the means of construction. Other than if a forged part were appropriate for the application in the aircraft design, certainly as a pickle fork would be, it is unlikely in the extreme that a cast part would also exist for that application. Castings have very different applications than forgings, and greater factors of safety required for the design (meaning a heavier part). I am aware that in another aviation industry, counterfeit parts were cast to appear to be replacement parts where a forged part was the correct part. Such use would have been horribly unsafe, and that was the highlight of the presentation. I'm not that least suggesting that is a factor here, other than to draw attention to the fact that there is a vital difference between cast and forged in aircraft part construction, and it's important to be aware of the difference if you're working on the plane. The means of construction difference extends after installation to how the part could corrode, or otherwise have defects. We're dealing with that these days with Cessna 210 wing spar carry through forging inspection and defects.
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