Carbon Fiber Yike Bike
People are coming up with a lot of great products made of carbon fiber composites. The nature of these products makes the use of composites a requirement.
I found an interesting video of a very specialized carbon fiber bike. Called the Yike Bike, it is basically an electric scooter that allows for urban transportation. The bike folds into a small and portable unit that can be easily carried and stored.
The use of carbon fiber is necessary due to the requirements of light weight and high strength. It is necessary for this scooter to support and transport people of various size and weight. The bike also must be lightweight so that it can be easily carried aboard trains and into office and apartment buildings.
This unit is definitely a feat of engineering, and is available to the public in the Summer of 2010. It is pricey, but fills a unique role for those that require urban transportation.
Carbon Fiber in the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Concept
At the 2009 Las Vegas SEMA show, Chevrolet introduced their ZR2 Concept pickup truck. This truck is tricked out for off-road capability with all wheel drive and a tricked out suspension. Weight savings improves performance and the designers turned to carbon fiber composites.
Exterior body panels were improved by saving weight by using carbon fiber. These panels include the hood, fenders, tailgate, grille, fascias, fender flares, and rocker panels. The hood and tailgate have used clear-coated carbon fiber to show the weave and give an interesting two-tone look to the vehicle.
The interior is also reported to use carbon fiber in the dash and the door panels.
It is unknown whether this concept vehicle goes into production, but certain elements are certainly becoming mainstream. Aftermarket carbon fiber parts have been popular for years especially on tuner cars. This may catch on for mainstream OEM production. Carbon fiber parts save weight, do not corrode, do not dent, and do not require pigmented paint.
Boeing’s 787
Boeing’s 787 will be the first composites-intensive commercial airliner. Traditionally made from aluminum, carbon fiber composites will work to create a plane that is stronger and lighter with fewer manufactured parts. Carbon Fiber reinforcement with Epoxy resin will be the main construction of these composites, which will make use of an autoclave during processing to control the molding conditions and ensure the quality and durability of the laminate.
Composites will reduce the number of parts for the airplane, and Boeing predicts that the front section alone would normally require using 1,500 sheets of aluminum, which also means drilling between 40,000 and 50,000 holes for the nuts and bolts to attach these sheets together and to the underlying framework. Carbon Fiber composites will allow for the skin and underlying supports to be molded as one large piece. Boeing predicts that assembly line time will be reduced from about three weeks to attach all of this aluminum together to about 3 days to attach the large composites sections together for the entire plane fuselage.
Switching materials has its’ own set of problems to overcome. The customers’ mechanics will need to be trained to repair damage on these composite planes. Damage detection will be important as well. Some will be visible to the naked eye, and other damage will not. Several forms of Non Destructive Testing will be employed to test for damage and wear on the composites body to ensure a safe aircraft.
Composites have been used in aircraft before, but not as extensively in commercial airplane bodies. Existing commercial airplanes have made use of composites in other areas to help make the planes stronger and lighter. Military jets have used carbon fiber composites for many years in their technologies for strength and weight advantages. Private business jets have utilized fiberglass composites for many years in their construction. Homemade kit planes have also made extensive use of fiberglass to make inexpensive craft in personal shops.
The profile of carbon fiber composites will definitely be elevated if Boeing’s 787 becomes as successful as promised.
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