Abstract: A method of adjusting an interior component to be received in a fuselage of an assembled aircraft, including determining a deformed configuration of a fuselage portion of a test rig, the fuselage portion in the deformed configuration being bent along its longitudinal axis and being representative of at least part of the fuselage of the assembled aircraft, deforming the fuselage portion to the deformed configuration so that the fuselage portion maintains the deformed configuration in a rigid manner, installing the interior component within the fuselage portion in the deformed configuration, determining changes required in a nominal configuration of the interior component based on a fit of the interior component within the fuselage portion in the deformed configuration, and applying the required changes to the nominal configuration of the interior component before installing the interior component within the fuselage of the assembled aircraft. A test rig is also discussed.

Abstract: A process of producing granules of a reactive metal. The process comprises providing a source of molten reactive metal (41), forming discrete droplets (53) of the molten metal, contacting the droplets while still substantially molten with a fluidized bed of particles (12) maintained at a temperature substantially below the solidus temperature of the metal and freezing the droplets as discrete granules of the reactive metal in the fluidized bed. The invention also provides apparatus for carrying out the method and product produces by the method, including a magnesium-containing additive for aluminum alloying. The use of a fluidized bed for cooling and freezing the droplets avoids problems encountered in prior methods and also makes it possible to provide coatings of various kinds on the surfaces of the granules, if desired.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing coated metal granules is disclosed. The apparatus includes a source of molten metal, a device for forming droplets of the molten metal, a bed of particles for receiving the droplets and a means for introducing a gas to fluidize the bed, cooling equipment to maintain the bed below the solidus temperature of the metal, and a separator for separating solidified granules of the metal from particles of the bed. This apparatus can produce an alloying additive which comprises magnesium granules 1-10 mm in size, at least partially coated with particles of a chloride salt which are attached to the granules by being physically embedded into a surface of the granules. The salt particles remain unmelted or only partially melted during formation of the additive.

Abstract: A process of producing granules of a reactive metal. The process comprises providing a source of molten reactive metal, forming discrete droplets of the molten metal, contacting the droplets while still substantially molten with a fluidized bed of particles maintained at a temperature substantially below the solidus temperature of the metal and freezing the droplets as discrete granules of the reactive metal in the fluidized bed. The invention also provides apparatus for carrying out the method and product produced by the method, including a magnesium-containing additive for aluminum alloying. The use of a fluidized bed for cooling and freezing the droplets avoids problems encountered in prior methods and also makes it possible to provide coatings of various kinds on the surfaces of the granules, if desired.