Process with carbon fiber.

[Henrique]

Hello, I am starting the process of lamination with carbon fiber and many questions are emerging. Need carbon fiber with thickness of 0.15 but the seller told me that I have found that the thickness of the fiber is decided after the trial someone could explain why this?And has a few different types of fibers such as twill and plain, what would the better to use in monocoque? if someone can explain better about'm grateful.

[Henrique]

Hello, I am starting the process of lamination with carbon fiber and many questions are emerging. Need carbon fiber with thickness of 0.15 but the seller told me that I have found that the thickness of the fiber is decided after the trial someone could explain why this?And has a few different types of fibers such as twill and plain, what would the better to use in monocoque? if someone can explain better about'm grateful.

[Ockham]

Hate to say it, but if you're unfamiliar with the effect of weave type on the finished product's strength, you should probably stick to steel frame. The short version is that the fibers should be loaded in tension wherever possible, but with the forces exerted on a monocoque, that's easier said than done. If you guys are a first-year team, I strongly recommend a steel frame first.

[Lorenzo Pessa]

The best thing you can do is to have a talk with someone who work with composites mainly to have clear the whole processes.

[Rotary Sprocket]

Unfortunately composites are not as clear cut as some people make them out to be, especially if they are being used in a monocoque frame. The only way you can determine which weaves you use, the thickness you need and the overall lay-up procedure is to test, test and test again until you get something that is strong enough for your application. Like Ockham said, if you guys are a first year team I would highly recommend you go with a steel frame.

[Henrique]

Thanks for answers, we aren't first-year team, we started in 2005 but now we are looking in monocoque, we have lay-up, but I don't know how function a process lamination with carbon fiber, according to the salesman, the best kind in my case will be twill, but would like a technical explanation of why.

[flavorPacket]

Does your university offer classes in structural composites? If so, just go ask the professor who teaches that.

[Simon Dingle]

I'm no expert on CFRP (we don't run a CFRP monocoque), however as I uderstand it one of the main reasons that twill weave is favoured is that it has very good "drape" properties, that it is easier to laminate over complex surfaces than plain weave.

The basics of CFRP such as resin types and weave types aren't exactly a secret and there are many books available on the topic. There might even be one recommended in the "recommended reading" sticky thread.