EMS501 – SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURE AND

DESIGN
MATERIAL SELECTION FOR Commercial AIRCRAFT
floor structure seat track/Rail Group
 Introduction
This report aims to identify suitable materials that can be applicable to commercial aircraft seat tracks
along with a thorough analysis of alternative materials and the manufacturing process that accompanies
the selection. The main considerations that need to be accounted for when selecting the best material
include the structural integrity, weight, sustainability, recyclability, and ease of manufacture.
In modern society, airlines have innovated immensely and a driving force for that is to reduce costs as
much as possible. A seat track is essentially a “track” installed on the floor of the designated aircraft
enabling the passenger seats to be attached to the seat track rather than directly to the floor [1]. The
selection of materials is critical to the seat tracks durability and performance in a commercial
environment and more importantly, the safety of all passengers and crew. The materials selected will be
analysed with commonly used materials and will be evaluated further based on the calculated material
index which considers parameters like yield strength and density.
Design and Material constraints
After selecting the aircraft track, the selected material will be subjected to a popular aircraft seat 16g
dynamic crash test [2], ensuring that the aircraft is equipped with “16G seats” in accordance with the
Federal Aviation Administration standards and regulations. This test procedure involves a 50th percentile
male dummy subjected to instant deceleration from a minimum of 30mph to 0mph. The seat tracks are
tested to make sure that the floor can withstand the immense longitudinal forces that can occur during
an emergency landing. The seat tracks must rotate by less than 10° to pass the 16g test. Due to the nature
of these requirements, the seat tracks primary constraint is the yield strength.
Figure 1: Test schematic and maximum deformation as illustrated by the FAA.

Shape Interaction and Structure

In a commercial environment, seat tracks are strongly attached to the floor beam of the aircraft to transfer
excessive loads to the floor. It is vital that these two structures work in conjunction with one another to
ensure structural integrity and the safety of passengers and crew. In the event of a crash, forward
eccentric loads are transferred to the seat track and react by bending in crossbeams and shear [3]. Hence
why it is critical to appropriately select a material that can sustain longitudinal loads. The choice of seat
track shapes and structure vary according to parameters such as ease of installation, time constraints,
versatility, and compatibility. Typical commercial airliners prefer seat tracks to be faster and easier to
install as they can help reduce labour costs and overall turnaround time when undergoing maintenance.
Some tracks are more versatile than others and it can be useful for companies to easily reconfigure and
implement them on other aircrafts with ease. Majority of commercial airliner use a seat track channel
comprising of an I-shaped cross section running the entire length. It is preferable to provide multiple

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mounting points on the structure so that the load across the channel is distributed appropriately. One
example is shown below where the installation of the seat track is illustrated.
Figure 2: Illustration of the mounting process and commonly used cross section designs.

Seat tracks also come in different shapes and sizes depending on the application. As such, cross sectional
properties and contact area cannot be assumed constant. When accounting for smaller contact areas and
by simulating cross sectional properties using modelling software (Figure 6), an approximate minimum
yield strength requirement of 400MPa was determined using the longitudinal stress formula (Figure 9)
to adhere to regulations within a comfortable safety margin. Still, higher yield strengths are desirable to
account for potential design flaws and future changes in regulation. Furthermore, in terms of structural
rigidity, the best option for select for cross sectional design is the I beam illustrated in Figure 3. This is
because it enables the even distribution of the weight and can bend rather than buckle or break when
overburdened [4]. The shear strength of the inserts connecting the floor panel to the structure are critical
to reacting towards forward loads and increases floor panel reliability [3].
Figure 3: Illustration of the interaction forces in aircraft floor panels

[Table 1: Requirements for the selection of a commercial aircraft seat track]

Constraints
Follows Safety Regulations
Effective budget
Yield Strength >400MPa
Objectives
Structural Integrity
Low Density (Lightweight)
Corrosion resistance
Durability
Other factors
Ease of Manufacture
Recyclable and Sustainable
Cost of Material
Availability

[Table 2: Property importance comparison]

Yield Elastic Corrosion Price Density Sustainability Total
Strength modulus resistance Weight
Yield 1 1 1 1 1 5
Strength
Elastic 0 1 1 1 1 4
Modulus

2
 Corrosion 0 0 1 0 1 2
Resistance
Price (m3) 0 0 0 0 1 1
Density (kg/m 0 0 1 1 1 3
3
)
Sustainability 0 0 0 0 0 0
Material Performance index
To find the material index, the main parameters need to be compared to be taken into consideration.
Firstly, the material needs to have a high strength to weight ratio, coupled with other important
parameters like corrosion resistance and elastic modulus. The formula, as displayed below, illustrates
the criteria necessary for selecting the appropriate material. Although secondary parameters such as cost
and sustainability are important, the primary parameters must be prioritized and adjusted accordingly
depending on their weighting, requiring some compromise. Density was given high importance due to
its interconnection with sustainability and price because of its significant effect on fuel economy.
Multiplying properties in the material index linearly depending on their weighting yielded satisfactory
results. For example, density would be multiplied by a coefficient of 3.
𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑔′𝑠 𝑀𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 × 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝜎𝑦 × 𝐸
𝑀= =
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 × 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝜌×
𝐶𝑚
Potential materials
After calculating the appropriate material performance index, materials were compared using the
ANSYS Edu pack level 3 database which helped identify the highest performing materials and narrow
the selection. A range of materials commonly used in seat tracks including aluminium alloys and
titanium alloys have been analysed and compared according to the material index. By comparing the
materials to their constraints, objectives, and free variables; Aluminium alloys are the best material for
this application. They tend to be relatively cheap and very lightweight with a high strength to weight
ratio. They are also known to be strong and durable. Other high performing materials had significantly
higher densities, which would result in a steep increase in fuel consumption of 3-7 kg per 1000km
travelled. Additionally, they have very satisfactory corrosion resistance and are almost always
recyclable. Even though, some parameters such as strength to weight ratio are higher in other alloys;
the availability and cost of aluminium alloys along with their ease of manufacturing makes them the
perfect material for aircraft seat tracks. Below are some aluminium alloys that match the specified
criteria as identified by ANSYS Edu pack including typical commercial alloys like Al 7075-T6.
Al 7068 T6511 Al 7075 T6 Al 7055-T76511 Al 2024 T861

Density (kg.103/m3) 2.85 2.77-2.83 2.85 2.75-2.78

Young’s Modulus (GPa) 71.2-74.8 69-76 71.7-75.3 72-75.7
Yield strength (MPa) 648-756 460-530 600-700 400-462
Process Used on Metals Press forming Hot forming Press forming Press forming
Recyclable Yes Yes Yes Yes
Price (£.103/m3) 8.69-9.85 8.31-9.46 8.85-10 4.47 - 5.01
After comparing their different properties and assigning each material a score based on weighting,
Aluminium 7068-T6511 has the highest score. It is a known high-performance aluminium-
zincmagnesium alloy with attractive qualities for the application and has, by a significant margin, the
highest material index performance within the cost, density, and manufacturing restraints. Thanks to its
higher copper and magnesium content, it performs with a yield strength of up to 700Mpa, which is
roughly 15% higher than the typically used aluminium 7075 alloy [5]. As such, it is guaranteed to pass
regulations from aviation authorities. Additionally, thanks to its higher zinc and magnesium content, it

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has a higher corrosion resistance, making it suitable for long term use in an aircraft cabin. Processing
Techniques and Manufacture
Metal press forming is a very commonly used processing method for aluminium alloys, thanks to their
unique malleability and stability. To produce longer components, extrusion is the ideal process that
fulfils the required criteria. This process involves placing the metal inside a shaped die, where a press
applies high pressure onto the metal, shaping it to match the design of the die. In practice, press forming
is done using hydraulic presses which can exert the high pressures needed to shape the metal into
intricate cross sections for very long shapes. This process can produce the parts needed with a high
degree of precision and without degrading the desirable material properties in the process [6].
Heating up the material prior to extrusion further increases the malleability of the alloy, making this
process especially suited for Aluminium 7068 as it is very heat treatable and known to be ideal for
extrusion [5]. Rectangular shapes are the easiest and most efficient to extrude, as shown on figure 4.
Figure 4: Process schematic

This manufacturing process tends to be relatively cheap with a rapidly decreasing relative cost index
depending on batch size. This is largely due to the initial investment for the machinery. For the
production of seat tracks for a single large aircraft cabin, the relative cost index would be approximately
£18 per meter. This cost could go down to £9.88 for larger production and after streamlining the process.
For inconsistent cross sections, it must be noted that a secondary editing process must be used. Typical
manufacturing for aircraft grade aluminium use CNC machining to achieve an accurate subtractive
manufacture of the final product [7]. It must also be noted that the manufacturing of tracks may require
some form of surface treatments and anodization to help further prevent corrosion and deterioration.
Summary
Seat tracks must firmly secure aircraft seats to the frame. As such, rigorous testing requirements have
been put in place by international aviation authorities to ensure passenger safety in emergency situations.
Material selection is therefore crucial to ensure that the tracks can pass tests and remain in use for as
long as possible while remaining lightweight and economical. Due to these requirements, Al 7068
manufactured via metal press forming has been identified as the ideal material for this application thanks
to its unique mechanical properties. Overall, the material is lightweight, sustainable, mostly recyclable,
and easily extruded to the desired shape with a small compromise of cost and density.
References:
[1] Aerospace Seat Track - Aircraft Grade Aluminum - Aircraft Extrusion. [Online]
https://aircraftextrusion.com. Available from:
https://aircraftextrusion.com/aircraft_extrusion/seattrack/ [Accessed 03/03/23].
[2] Aircraft Seat 16g Dynamic crash test. (2015) Directed by AEROFOAMS.
[3] The Importance of Aircraft Floor Panels. (2019) [Online]. Available from:
https://www.comtekadvanced.com/the-importance-of-aircraft-floor-panels [Accessed 15/03/23].
[4] I Beams | Strength, Dimensions, and Uses. (2022) [Online] Intsel Steel/Bushwick Metals.
Available from: https://www.bushwickmetals.com/i-beam-uses/ [Accessed 17/03/23].

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[5] 7068 Aircraft Aluminum Alloy. (2023). Available from:
https://www.aircraftaluminium.com/product/7068-aircraft-aluminum-alloy.html [Accessed
03/03/23].
[6] General Metalforming 101. (2023). Available from:
https://macrodynepress.com/generalmetalforming-101/ [Accessed 15/03/23].
[7] What is CNC Machining? | Definition, Processes, Components & More. (2023). Available from:
https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/custom-manufacturing-fabricating/understanding-cnc-
machining/ [Accessed 15/03/23].
[8] Track for seat attachment on aircraft | 3D CAD Model Library | GrabCAD. Available from :
https://grabcad.com/library/track-for-seat-attachment-on-aircraft-1 [Accessed 15/03/23].

[9] NGUYEN, T. (2022) SkyCiv Section Builder | SkyCiv Engineering. Available from :
https://skyciv.com/structural-software/section-builder/ [Accessed 19/03/23].

APPENDIX
Figure 5: Material index performance plotted using ANSYS Edu pack after filtering out densities
greater than 7000kg/m3.

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Figure 6: CAD model of a common seat track [8]

Figure 7: Longitudinal stress formula (Pa). A safety factor of 1.5 was added and eccentric forces were
considered when calculating the total stresses.

𝜎𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝐹 × 1.5 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐹 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 (𝑁) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴 = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 (𝑚2) 𝐴

Figure 8: Cross section simulation using Skyciv section building software (Imperial Units)