Making Your Own Prepregs
Composite materials that are used as reinforcements can be impregnated with resin ahead of time, are called prepregs. You use a prepreg in manufacturing different composite parts by cutting it out and laying it onto your mold, shaping as required. Since it has already been impregnated with resin, there are not any concerns with spreading the resin and curing agents on the dry materials while they are in the mold.
Pre-impregnated materials can be purchased from a composites supplier, or they can be made yourself. Woodward Aerospace shows us how.
Carbon Fiber Pipe Wrap
Carbon Fiber can be used to wrap the outside or the inside of pipelines as a way to reinforce and strengthen them. Carbon Fiber is lightweight yet extremely strong. It can be field-installed on pipelines that are clean and non-pressurized.
Repairs to pipelines can be extremely expensive if they need to be dug out of the ground, cut out, and replaced with new sections. This is time-consuming work requiring long shutdowns. Composites repairs can be accomplished by professionals that can access the work area and have a line that is non-pressurized and clean.
These carbon fiber reinforcements help to restore structural integrity that has been lost through age, damage, or other new design requirements. There are many advantages to repairing existing pipelines and other structures rather than replacement.
Interior repair from ABC 10 News in California demonstrates an interior pipeline repair:
An external pipeline repair is shown here in an instructional video. I do have a few concerns about the use of all of the unreinforced resin that is used to cover the carbon fiber wrap. I am not sure what the purpose there is, other than maybe to protect the carbon fiber from future damage.
Machining Composites
Much like other materials can be machined, so can composites. Everything from basic fiberglass fabrications to advanced composites materials can be machined to add details and features.
This can be accomplished using hand-held tools guided by fixtures and measurements. Hand tools such as air routers, drills, and saws. A disadvantage is that the operator can commit errors and must be protected from safety hazards. These hazards include airborne dust, bending strain, lifting strain, and physical cuts.
For high volume or high precision applications, there are CNC routers that can be employed. These are fast, efficient, and safe. They may be expensive though.
Several manufacturers make CNC routers, and Thermwood is one as shown below.
This video shows several different applications and parts that can be routed with this large machine.
1992 GM Ultralite Concept Car
I found a very interesting video demonstrating the 1992 GM Ultralite Concept Car. What a blast from the past!
This project, like all concept cars, was well before its time. They had some cutting-edge engineering that went into this vehicle to work towards several goals.
Reducing vehicle weight was important, so carbon fiber materials were utilized to decrease the weight of the body/chassis. Efficient drive-train options were also developed, including the use of two-cycle engines and battery power. Designing for great aerodynamics was also considered.
Many years have passed by, and some things were right on, some were not. Aerodynamics have been improved. Lighter weight materials have been used as composites have been working their way into vehicles, though it has been SMC/BMC reinforced with Fiberglass rather than Carbon Fiber.
Gull-wing doors have not been adopted for family cars, and I am not sure if I am disappointed or not.
Composite Guitar Cases
Not being a musician, I had not been familiar with instrument cases, specifically for guitars. Many of them are made of composite materials, both fiberglass and carbon fiber.
The advantages of composites align well with requirements for handling musical instruments. Composites are strong and lightweight, as well as impact resistant. Composites are also not affected by moisture.
I came across an interesting video by WallyUpdabungenstein who does a comparison of a Calton deluxe fiberglass guitar case as compared to a Hoffee carbon fiber guitar case.
He does a great job comparing the actual fit and handling of the guitar in the case. He does not discuss the construction materials of the cases, but does look at the important aspects of them. Any item that is intended for a primary purpose such as protecting musical instruments needs to do a good job at this primary purpose.
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