These magical traits elevate carbon fiber into the realm of prized possession. Technological advancements enabled production to be quicker and more affordable; thus, with the production of carbon fiber made more efficient, so did the demand for the material increase.

Additionally, the flexibility of the carbon fiber allows the manufacturers to experiment and eventually produce pretty innovative concepts. An example of such is the BIC Sport Windfoil with 3MB’s carbon fiber concept.

Redefining the Structure of Sporting Goods Manufacturing

Since the introduction of carbon fiber, the creation of sporting goods has never been the same. In sports, weight and strength go hand in hand: you need equipment that can handle the daily wear and tear of sports, but on the other hand, you need the equipment to be lightweight for it to be used efficiently, and without unnecessary strain on the athlete or player.

Back then, sporting goods were symbols of compromise. Or the very definition of “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” It was virtually impossible for a piece of sporting equipment to be both lightweight and strong at the same time. Somewhere down the line, something has got to give.

Thus, athletes had to struggle with pieces of equipment that were either strong but too heavy or light but too fragile. They simply couldn’t get the best of both worlds—that is, until carbon fiber was discovered, created, and injected into the manufacturing scene.

5 Examples of Sporting Goods Made with the Material

With carbon fiber in the picture, the sporting goods arena has become a better, brighter place. Sports lovers are able to love their chosen fields some more because the carbon fiber–enriched equipment have made engaging in said sport such a joy.

What are some of the most common sporting equipment today that have been made with carbon fiber, you ask? Well, here are 5 examples of sporting goods the makeup of which were improved by carbon fiber.

1. Golf shafts

Nowadays, golf shafts come in 2 materials: steel and graphite, which is made up almost exclusively of carbon fiber.

These shafts, being way more lightweight than their steel counterparts, fit the golfer who desires a more powerful swing. Because carbon fiber is lightweight, the golfer can generate a faster swing, thereby adding power to his/her motions.

In addition, graphite golf shafts are ideal for those who prefer longer distances with their shots, aren’t strong enough to use steel shafts, and are content with their current set of golf clubs (read: those who have no plans to purchase new clubs in the future).

2. Rackets

Rackets rank second on the list of sporting equipments modified with carbon fiber. Though there are different kinds of racket sports (e.g., tennis, badminton, racquetball), studies reveal that tennis rackets are the most commonly purchased racket equipment, accounting for 81% of unit deliveries.

It makes sense, though, why rackets greatly benefit from carbon fiber. Players get more variety and spin in their motions, thanks to the much-lighter equipment. Also, the rackets are likely to last longer and stand more tough use, what with carbon fiber being one of the most durable materials around.

3. Snowboards

For the snowboard-loving individual, carbon fiber must be the best thing next to sliced bread. Adding the material into the basic snowboard makeup has drastically changed the adventure of snowboarding—for the better, of course.

Carbon fiber is loads lighter than traditional fiberglass; thus, it enables the snowboarder to make greater leaps and bounds over his/her terrain of choice. In addition, carbon fiber makes use of the energy created during snowboarding by producing more energy.

For snowboarders, this means increased durability and speed. They can then take on any terrain without scrimping on speed and feel. Every snowboarding experience is guaranteed high performance. Who wouldn’t want that?

4. Fishing rods

Fishing rods have the power to either make or break your fishing adventures. Bamboo rods were the pioneers in fishing equipment, and continue to do so today, until the fishing rods fashioned from carbon fiber were introduced.

Rods manufactured from carbon fiber provide weight and sensitivity, 2 crucial factors for when you’re fishing in deeper waters. Experts also recommend using such rods when you’re out for smaller game fish. This is because you get to feel more clearly the vibrations coming from the small, delicate bites.

Also, with a lighter (read: carbon fiber) fishing rod, you can generate a greater casting distance, vastly improving your fishing game.

5. Bicycles

Of course, no list of sporting equipment made with carbon fiber can be without bicycles on it. Thanks to improved manufacturing techniques, bike frames made with carbon fiber are becoming widespread.

 Bicycle enthusiasts love the lightweight feature carbon fiber brings into the machine’s composition. With lighter weight comes greater control; they can zip up and down any terrain they wish.

In addition, carbon fiber bicycles aren’t only lighter but also stronger, more durable as well. They absorb shock waves and vibrations better, making for a smoother, more comfortable ride.

Plus bikes made from carbon fiber are highly stable. Corrosion is an issue that’s next to nonexistent, and even if you use bike wash on your ride, you can count on the frame to not give up anytime soon.

With these long-standing features, you’re sure to enjoy your bicycle for a long, long time.

Open Mold Fabrication: What Is It?

Now, polymer matrix composites don’t just appear out of thin air and lay themselves magically on every manufacturer’s feet. For such materials to come to be, they need to go through a process. This is where open mold fabrication comes in.

Hailed as the easiest method for manufacturing polymer matrix composites, open mold fabrication is generally used in the production of fiberglass, often with a polyester matrix.

5 Methods Involving the Fabrication Process

To go about the creation of open molds for polymer matrix composites, companies can take their pick from any of these 5 methods. Each brings its own share to the table; ultimately, it’s about selecting a method that fits with your intended outcome or product.

1. Hand lay-up

Among the 5, the hand lay-up method is the simplest to do. It involves spraying a gel coat onto the surface to create a high-quality finish, and the gel coat is then cured.

Next, a glass-reinforcing mat is fitted into the mold, and then resin, which is catalyzed, is brushed, poured, or sprayed onto the surface. Manual rolling is then introduced; this ensures the materials combined are kept compact, as well as removes air bubbles present in the pile.

2. Spray-up

The spray-up method of open mold fabrication offers flexibility and variety in the creation of products based on polymer matrix composites. This is another method that involves quality results without putting too much of a dent on a firm’s budget.

To kick things off, the person in charge of the procedure begins a series of tasks pretty much similar to the hand lay-up method. The key difference involves the spraying on—hence the name—of chopped-up reinforcing fibers and liquid resin matrix onto the mold’s surface.

Manual rolling is enforced, with the same purpose as the previous step: to do away with air trapped in between the layers. To enhance strength and thickness, makers add woven roving in key areas.

Furthermore, some builders opt to add pigmented gel coats to create colorful, smooth surfaces.

3. Filament winding

For filament winding to be possible, you need to set up a rotating mandrel to function as a mold. An automated process, it involves feeding a strand of roving into a resin bath; the strand is then attached to a rotating mandrel.

Next, the roving strand travels on a trolley, which covers the entire length of the mandrel. The strand is then led onto a premade geometric pattern. Builders repeat this step until they achieve a sufficient layer of strands required for maximum tensile strength.

Once the layers are present, the builders cure the laminate right then and there on the mandrel. After the curing process, they remove the laminate from the equipment.

4. Autoclave curing

For autoclave curing to take place, makers need to have on hand a mold fashioned through any fabrication method.

Said mold is placed inside a plastic bag, and a vacuum pump is utilized to exhaust the air in the bag. In addition, the pump removes unstable products residing in the mold.

Afterward, the mold is placed in an autoclave, where curing takes place. This is brought about by the presence of heat and pressure in the autoclave, which, in addition, assist the densification of the mold.

Manufacturers rely on autoclave curing to create homogeneous materials. However, the procedure is rather costly. It delivers excellent results, though, and thus is utilized in the construction of aerospace products.

5. Tape lay-up

Tape lay-up is a process that uses prepreg tape, which is repeatedly placed down into layers to form parts. Creators love this procedure for its versatility as it works brilliantly for parts with complex lines and angles.

Furthermore, even with the process in motion, creators can take breaks in the application and vary directional placements. It’s also suitable for both thermoplastic and thermoset substances.

Safety of Workers and the Environment

The execution of open mold fabrication requires that stringent guidelines and protocols be followed by fabricators and manufacturers alike.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States of America is an example of a government agency responsible for assuring proper working conditions are met for workers in the country.

Pulling this off entails periodic and regular training, updates on toxicity information, observance of proper handling procedures, adherence to application of protective equipment, and expansion of monitoring programs.

Manufacturers and fabricators need to follow and keep abreast with the rules and guidelines established by the safety-and-hazard and employee-protection agencies in their respective nations. This ensures risks and hazards are kept to a minimum, both for humans and Mother Nature alike.

Polymer composites are materials that you will have come across in your day to day living, whether you have realised it was a polymer composite or not. There are so many benefits and uses for polymer composites, and once you know more about them you will realise that your life would not be as comfortable without them.

But first, we need to understand what a polymer composite is, so let’s break down those two words.

Polymer

A polymer is created by a chemical reaction that joins lots of the same type of molecule together to form one long molecule of a new substance.

For example, in the picture below we see individual ethene molecules. Through a chemical reaction the ethene molecules are joined together to create long molecules of polyethene.

Ethene molecules join together to make long molecules of poly(ethene)

Polymers often have similar traits such as:

• Chemically un-reactive: they don’t react to the materials around them so they are great for storing things such as water bottles.
• Solid at room temperature: like plastics or materials used for clothes.
• Strong and not easily broken.

Examples of polymers include:

• PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which is used to make water pipes and the outer layer of electrical wiring.
• Polyethene (as shown in the picture above) which is used to make plastic bags.
• Nylon and Lycra which are both used to make different types of clothes.

Composite

A composite is a very simple term and it literally means a material that is composed of two or more materials. For example concrete is a (very common) composite because it is made by combining materials such as cement, gravel and sand. The consistency and the qualities of the cement will depend on what ratios you combine the ingredients together in, and under what circumstances you make it. Composites are very useful and clever materials because they can combine the benefits of two (or more) materials to create a material that has the benefits of both and even loses some of the defects or cons. For example concrete is waterproof, whereas sand isn’t, and concrete can be molded, which gravel and concrete on their own can’t.

So now we know what the two individual words mean, we can begin to understand what a polymer composite might be.

So then, a polymer composite is a material that is composed using a polymer as one of the parts. The new polymer composite should have the benefits of the polymer as well as the chosen benefits of the material it is being combined with.

Uses

The modern composites we build with today are usually made of two components, a fiber and matrix. The most common fibers that are used are glass, carbon or polyethene. Most people will have heard of fiberglass as it is a common household name. The most expensive by far is carbon-fibre as it is so costly to produce and takes millions of dollars of money to even build the specialist machinery to produce it.

The other part, the matrix, is usually a thermoset like an epoxy-resin, or a polymide.

The fiber is embedded in the matrix in order to make the matrix stronger. Fiber-reinforced composites have two things going for them. They are strong and light. They’re often stronger than steel, but weigh much less. This means that composites can be used to make automobiles lighter, and thus much more fuel efficient. This means they pollute less, too.

Polymer composites have been manufactured since the very start of the 20th century when inventors began experimenting in order to produce plastics. The first every synthetic fabric was produced in 1905 and was called ‘bake light‘. While at the time the inventor, Leo Baekland, had been focused on creating synthetic plastic to make storage containers, much research was put in from other bigger industries such as the boating, contstruction and aircraft industries. It can be easy to see why they would want to further improve a plastic substance that was strong, light, and so much cheaper to produce than other composites. Economically it made sense to invest in the development of polymer composites.

Moving on from the first introduction of synthetic plastic over 100 years ago, there has been much development in the uses of polymer composites. In June 2013, KONE elevator company announced Ultrarope for use as a replacement for steel cables in elevators. It seals the carbon fibres in high-friction polymer. Unlike steel cable, Ultrarope was designed for buildings that require up to 1,000 meters of lift. Steel elevators top out at 500 meters. The company estimated that in a 500-meter-high building, an elevator would use 15 per cent less electrical power than a steel-cabled version. As of June 2013, the product had passed all European Union and US certification tests.

Other uses include the known brand ‘Kevlar’ which produces bullet-proof vests (pictured above) made of polymer composites. As you can see, not only do they help you to fly, or sail the ocean, or hold your lunch, polymer composites can even save your life.

Benefits

Fibre-reinforced plastics are perfect for any product or design plan that demands lighter materials, precision engineering, finite tolerances, and the simplification of parts in both production and operation. A moulded polymer artefact is cheaper, faster, and easier to manufacture than cast aluminium or steel artefact, and maintains similar and sometimes better tolerances and material strengths.

Other Modern Composites

While polymer composites are very common and used in our daily lives, there are other very common composites that are also used. Two of the most common are carbon-fibre composites and glass-fibre composites. Carbon-fibre composites, as the name suggests, are composites that use carbon-fibre to create materials that are stronger and lighter than normal metals. It is extremely expensive to manufacture carbon-fibre composites and originally they were only used in the aerospace industry. However thanks to the improvements in technology and manufacturing, the use of carbon-fibre, although still the most expensive composite, has now delved deep into other industries which really benefit from this lightweight and strong material. Carbon-fibre is now being used in the automotive industry to make super cars, in the construction industry to make houses and bridges that can stand even the most extreme weathers, and in the sporting industry such as bikes and equipment. Who wouldn’t want their snow bike to be faster and lighter than ever before?

As the modern age developed, so did man’s understanding of the world we lived in and the materials that were available to us. Humans have always interacted with their environment to their advantage. From first inventing the wheel to assist with transporting goods and people, now we build rockets that transport people and goods into space.

One thing has always been the same though: we are always trying to make improvements and discover new things. The use of composite materials in all industries is a wonderful example of this modern human ingenuity.

A composite material is a simple concept: it is made by combining two or more constituent materials with significantly different properties. When they are combined, they will produce a composite with new properties different to either individual material. The advantages of this are obvious. By combining two materials, you can create a new material that has the best elements and strengths of both, without the individual weaknesses of the original materials.

Fiberglass is one of the most well known of all the modern composite materials and is used in a wide range of industries and applications. The name ‘Fiberglass’ may be misleading though as this term is actually the common name for the composite of ‘fiber-reinforced plastic’ using glass fiber. So actually fiberglass as we know it today is a composite itself but not to be confused with one of its materials: glass Fiber.

Fiberglass can even be substituted for the wheel as it helps to transport people and goods through its application in the production of aircraft, boats and automobiles. Due to its flexibility and low cost to produce, it is also a fantastic material which is used to build larger household items such as bathtubs and pools.

Manufacturing

Production of the fiberglass that we use today was actually discovered by accident in 1932 when Games Slayter, a researcher at a Fortune 500 company based in Ohio, USA, directed a jet of compressed air at a stream of molten glass and produced glass fibers. However this was only the beginning and it took a few more decades before anything like the Fiberglass we build with today was produced.

The process used to manufacture fiberglass is called pultrusion. Large furnaces are used to gradually melt all the ingredients together into a liquid: silica, sand, limestone, kaolin clay, fluorspar, Coleman, dolomite and other minerals.

The second part of the process is to then mould it into its desired outcome, which can be either as glass fibers, or woven into a blanket as seen in the picture below.

Fiber Glass Production

Benefits

Fiberglass has many benefits that make it the perfect choice for certain industries. It is strong, lightweight and weather resistant. But the two factors that have probably caused it to be the most commonly used composite are these: it is extremely versatile and much cheaper to make than most other composites.

Its versatility is due to the very simple concept that a composite is made of combing two different materials, in this case a plastic and a glass fiber. If you know you are wanting a specific outcome, for example it needs to be completely weather resistant and light, you would combine different plastics and glass fibers to say if you wanted a material that was stronger and more flexible.

Equally, once the materials have been combined and the Fiberglass composite has been created, how you then set it or mould it will also differ depending on your own design and requirements.

One of the disadvantages of glass fiber is that it is weaker than some other fibers such as carbon fiber. An individual glass fiber is both stiff and strong but because a typical fiber is long and narrow, it can buckle easily. Because of the way that glass fiber forms, it is stronger in one direction than the other. This can be used to the designer’s advantage as they can determine the look of the end product and therefore the direction the glass fibers need to be lined by which parts need to be the strongest and how the end product is going to be used.

Another way to increase the strength of the Fiberglass composite is by laying multiple layers of fiber on top of one another, with each layer oriented in various preferred directions. Effectively this is allowing you to efficiently predict and create the material’s desired finished stiffness and strength: you are in complete control.

As mentioned above, Fiberglass is one of the most cost-effective composites. We can already see that the end Fiberglass composite is almost completely under the desginer’s control. Thanks to its low cost, they are able to make continuous discoveries and improvements to their design and production. They can play around with new techniques or different plastics to produce better fiberglass. This is just not possible with one of its main rivals Carbon fiber, which can cost a developer 2.5 million dollars just in the machinery fees to produce it.

Modern Applications

Fiberglass first had its opening debut during the second world war when they began to build with it in aircrafts as a replacement for the molded plywood that had been used up until then.

Following the conclusion of the second world war it entered into the civilian domain in the production of boats and sports car bodies. In the sporting world of competitive racing they have too since moved on to use carbon fiber instead of glass, as this is much stronger and lighter. As discussed above the production of Fiberglass is much cheaper than that of carbon. It is only in the last couple of decades when the prodction costs of carbon fiber has somewhat reduced that it is now possible to use carbon fiber in things other than the very expensive aerospace industry. It all started with fiberglass and the competitive worlds of sports bikes, racing cars, supercars and sports equipment would not be where it was today with the introduction of fiberglass into all these fields all those years ago.

Fiberglass may now not be the first choice for supercars or sports cars where the tiniest difference in strength and weight can mean victory or loss, it still has other properties which make it the first choice in many industries.

In the house-building industry the malleable nature of fiberglass production makes it an excellent choice for roofing laminates, door and window surrounds, chimneys and many other applications. It is much easier to handle than more traditional materials used in house-building like wood or metal and is more lightweight. Mass-produced fiberglass brick panels can also be used and have the added benefit of providing insulation to reduce heat loss.

Fiberglass also has low signal attenuation properties and RF permeability. This means that it is perfect for use in the telecommuncations industry for shrouding antennas.

Conclusion

There are literally hundreds of uses of fiberglass and it is a composite material that is constantly being improved and explored to create better, more durable and safer materials for use in a wide range of industries.

Thanks to its much lower cost to produce than other composites it has allowed other smaller industries to use it to their advantage. While it may have been over taken in the expensive and ever competitive worlds of sports racing and equipment, it certainly hasn’t been beat in most other fields. You can bet that fiberglass production and manufacturing has a long happy life ahead of it yet.

One form of composite material used for building is particle wood. While this wood is not necessarily a stronger form of composite versus true wood itself, it can be used to make a variety if products. The products created by particle wood are made cheaply but take on the look and feel of real wood.

Now, that you have an idea of what composites are, let’s take a look at what other types of uses these useful materials can be applied to. Composites are used in a number of different types of structures and vehicles. From high rise apartment buildings, to race cars driven on the NASCAR circuit, composites have many uses. Yes, composites are used in so many different types of structures and vehicles that it would be impossible to list them all here!

So, with this thought in mind, what would you think another use could be? How about the Space Industry? It’s true, composites are used in the construction of spacecrafts designed to take humans from earth all the way to space. While the composites used for space exploration craft are similar to those used on race cars and other airborne vehicles, aspects of these composites must meet certain criteria before being accepted for use.

Composites used in spacecraft

We all know that pressurization is a factor when it comes to exploring deep space with a spacecraft. Because of this, spacecrafts must be built to withstand enormous odds.

In an effort to create a more effective and safer craft for space exploration, the NASA Engineering and Safety Center built a composite crew module. The purpose of this project was to study the feasibility of a module built of composite materials. The module which contains an upper pressure shell, splice joint and lower pressure shell was created to certain specification and a complete evaluation was performed once the project was completed.

After an analysis of the project was performed it was found that the module took approximately 6 months to complete with a budget of under $1 million. The total man hours to complete the module was 6000 hours. This project which began in 2007 was an effort to determine if in a fact a module created out of composite material could be constructed and designed to be safe and cost effective. The end result proved that space exploration in a composite built spacecraft was very possible.

So, you may be wondering if all this research into composites is really that necessary when it comes to space exploration. To put it bluntly, it is! Think about this. In space there is a hidden danger that isn’t found on earth. That danger is cosmic radiation. Carbon composites like nanotubes have a unique quality is being able to supply up to 600 times the strength as typical composites. Nanotubes have been found to be the best material to use in NASA’s attempt to build the perfect spacecraft. Take a look some more amazing facts on nanotubes and how they benefit the space industry here.

In space, the ultimate adversary for human travel has to be Galactic Cosmic Radiation. Researchers have found that this form of radiation is difficult to shield from using metals. In fact it was determined that this is the worst form of protection! Lighter elements like helium and hydrogen were found to be the best line of defense against GCR. Using light weight composites in spacecraft is important when it comes to cost but the benefits of using them exceed just the cost associated. So much so that composite use in today’s exploration may very well be the only way to ensure the safety of both the aircraft and the human’s it transports.

Space exploration has come along way since Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon in 1969. While Armstrong and the astronauts who traveled with him to the moon were pioneers in space exploration, the efforts to travel farther continued in the following decades. The use of composites help to create a module that can protect astronauts from cancer causing radiation and allows for added strength than if metals were used. Additionally, composites can be refined which is why tests are constantly performed in the quest for stronger, lighter materials.

Which are the Modern Fibre Composites?

You would have to been living under a rock to not have heard of the material ‘fibreglass’. This was the first modern fibre composite and is widely used all over the world.

Fibreglass

Glass fibres have been produced for centuries, but mass production of glass strands was discovered by Games Slayter  in 1932 when he accidentally directed a jet of compressed air at a stream of molten glass and produced fibres.

This early fibreglass composite was patented by Games and his company in the 1930′s, but the evolution of the fibreglass that we use today had only just begun.

There are five major types of Fibreglass. A-glass (alkali glass) which has good chemical resistance, but lower electrical properties. C-glass (chemical glass) which has very high chemical resistance. E-glass (electrical glass) which is an excellent insulator and resists attacks from water. S-Glass (structural glass) which is optimised for mechanical properties. D-glass (dielectric glass) which has the best electrical properties but lacks in mechanical properties when compared to E and S glass.

E-glass and S-glass are, by far, the most common types found in composites.

A Roll of Fibreglass

Fibreglass is not as strong a composite as carbon fibre composites, however, the bass materials are much cheaper. This allows for the mass production of fibre glass composites to the point where it has become a household name and used by almost every industry.

Carbon Fibre

Put simply, carbon fibre is a composite made of thousands of  long thin strands of material mostly made up of carbon atoms (no surprises there). It is an extremely thin material, the fibres being about 5–10 μm in diameter. But even though it is thin, it is extremely strong, and is also much lighter and less dense than most other materials.

The future uses of Carbon Fibre are untold and as the years go by the cost to produce and manufacture it are lowering. This is allowing the uses of carbon fibre to be far more wide spread and by a wider range of industries.

Years ago, carbon fibre composites were so expensive and complicated to produce that their use was limited to hugely wealthy industries such as the aerospace industry. The aerospace industry used these carbon fibres in many different ways and carried on developing and improving the manufacturing process. This produced composites that were stronger and lighter than they have ever been.

This composite was also used in the production of the world’s fastest cars and supercars. If you are a fan of fast cars, why not take a look this article which asks the question: Is the full carbon fibre racing car a reality?

Is the full carbon fibre racing car a reality?

It starts becoming clearer why carbon fibre is an extremely effective material to use in the production of items that require strength or speed.

Thankfully these very wealthy industries continued to improve the qualities of carbon fibre, and refined the manufacturing process.

This allowed for other industries to be able to start using carbon fibres as it became more affordable. One such industry is the construction industry. Carbon fibre is such a versatile material and it has the qualities perfect to be used in construction:  it is extremely strong and has a high elastic modulus and fatigue strength. This means that it is highly chemically resistant and has a high temperature tolerance with low thermal expansion and corrosion resistance. Carbon fibre is being used to build bridges and to repair old buildings that might otherwise not have been safe to enter. It is even being used to build houses that could be resistant to earthquakes.

Other industries developing the use of carbon fibre in their products are the bicycle industry and the sporting equipment industry. One beautiful example can be seen in the new snow bike made with 3BM’s amazing carbon fibre concept. This powerful and super speedy snow bike is just one (very cool) example of how the development of composites are changing the world we all live in. One inspirational example of this is the use of carbon fibre to create prosthetic feet for amputees. To read more about the use of composites in the medical industry please see this article.

Other Fibre Composites

As mentioned above, carbon and glass fibres are the two most common fibre composites that are currently used, but there are others.

The fibre amarid, mentioned at the beginning of the article, is  the one used in Kevlar® body armour. Wood and plastic fibre composites are used in the flooring industry to make wooden floor boards and decking. These wood-plastic composites are argued to be more environmentally friendly and require less maintenance than the alternatives of solid wood treated with preservatives.

Fibre Composites in the Future

As a human race we are getting higher and faster than ever before. The use of fibre composites is allowing us to build safer houses, to fix the human body, to build bigger and longer lasting structures. The more that the big companies develop the manufacturing process, the more readily available these carbon fibres composites will be for smaller industries. The possibilities are endless.

Nowadays, successful discoveries and implementations in one field often branch out to another. Take carbon fiber, for example. When this material first started out, it was used exclusively in the aerospace industry, no thanks to the fact that it was too expensive to produce.

Then the experts stepped in and tinkered with carbon fiber, until its production didn’t put a massive dent in their wallets. As a result, other industries followed suit in adopting carbon fiber for material production. This includes the automotive, seafaring, and sporting-equipment fields.

Talking about sports, the magic that is carbon fiber has taken the windsurfing realm by storm too. This is through the form of the BIC Sport Windfoil.

Changing the Windsurfing Game

The BIC Sport Windfoil is out to change the rules and standards of windsurfing. Once you’ve hopped on the best, how can you prefer anything else?

This is precisely what the BIC Sport Windfoil and Kerfoils—one of the world’s renowned experts in foil design—collaboration aims to turn into reality. Windsurfing is a complex activity, one that’s not without its own sets of risks, and so it requires special equipment for a smooth, seamless execution.

How Carbon Fiber Improves Foils

The carbon fiber hydrofoil concept for windsurfing has only recently come about. But this “late” entry into the game doesn’t do any less to this adrenaline-filled universe, as this new concept has taken the windsurfing arena by storm.

Inspiration comes in many forms, in various methods. For the BIC Sport Windfoil, it came from the foils found exclusively in boats, or at least until the production of carbon fiber surged.

With carbon fiber in the picture, the windfoil takes on a turn for the amazing. Experts carefully crafted the foil’s design to enable you to reduce your windspeed up to 13 knots. This isn’t a fixed value, though, because once you’ve gotten the hang of windsurfing and the foil, you can even aim for a lower speed level.

Reasons to Go for Carbon Fiber

For the BIC Sport Windfoil to come into existence, manufacturers relied on not just any carbon fiber but specifically one that comes from 3MB. The company takes pride in its role as one of the top carbon fiber authorities in the field.

You can be sure of the top-notch quality of the carbon fiber from 3MB, what with the firm’s expertise in carbon fiber applications. Proof of its passion and dedication to improving composite parts is the birth of its new site in Thailand. This factory is larger, and fully equipped with the latest materials.

This is proven by the implementation of carbon fiber in the BIC Sport Windfoil. Mainly, carbon fiber adds stability to the foil. With this stability comes the smooth, seamless experience in every ride.

With this new profile comes the ability to create excellent lifts. Every lift enables you to fly quickly and smoothly. In addition, you get a new windsurfing sensation, one that’s way better than what you’re used to, of course!

Think of it as flying freely over the water. You’ve control at your fingertips. As you glide and breeze by the water, you can focus on hearing the gentle music of waves of the birds or the wind, since you move with the littlest possible noise.

Now if that isn’t taking windsurfing to an out-of-this-world level, no one will know what is.

Specifications of the Improved Windfoil

Techniques performed by the 3MB team to ensure excellent production involved the following: laminating, compressing the molding in an aluminum CNC mold, and then assembling the parts with the use of screws.

When the molds are done and formed, they’re then sent to the compression machine. This is where they’re compressed at a rating of 150 bars in order to produce parts sans scratches, bubbles, and pinholes. Thus, smooth and compressed molds are born.

The final stage kicks in, and involves several processes. Molds are trimmed, drilled, sanded, and polished. The result? Molds that are so flawless and shiny that looking at them makes you feel you’re face-to-face with the sun.

That being said, here are the technical specs of the BIC Sport Windfoil:

• Mast height: 70 cm
• Front-wing length: 82 cm
• Rear-wing length: 50.5 cm
• Material: Carbon
• Weight: 2.6 kg
• Deep tuttle box plug

Other Exciting Additions and Changes

The BIC Sport Windfoil was created with improved user experience in mind. Once you’re out flying over the water, you don’t have to worry yourself over control, because the product is easy to maneuver.

What’s more, BIC understands your thirst for travel, to explore new seas and fly over new water territories. Thus, the company made the windsurf foil detachable from its board. Anyone can also easily dismount both board and foil. Wherever nook in the world you want to explore, rest assured you can take your BIC Sport Windfoil with you.

What are you waiting for? Go get one, and experience the terrific changes yourself!

What Are Yachts Made Of?

Boatbuilding has made major leaps and bounds since the first seaworthy “boat” set out to sea in 8,000 BC (imagine that). Gone are the days when wood was deemed the primary resource for boat construction. Modern technology has elevated standards to greater heights. Nowadays, lighter and stronger is the name of the game.

Of course, yachts well belong into this category. Perhaps you’ve noticed how this sea vessel differs slightly from its water-exploring counterparts. Maybe you’ve seen how its material isn’t exactly the same as the common ship’s. Your curiosity’s piqued, and you can’t quite figure out what the yacht’s made of: cement, a special kind of wood, some superpower steel?

Nope, nope, and nope.

Most yachts are built from composite materials.

What Are Composite Materials?

The modern yacht is the product of composite materials all thrown in together, specifically marine composites. Put simply, a composite is a brand-new product resulting from two or more different materials combined.

For a composite material to be, it needs two primary source materials: a matrix (or a resin, if you may) and a reinforcement (a fiber). The thing with composite materials is they’re equipped with features that far exceed the characteristics of their two original materials alone. Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it?

Take mud and straw, for example. This man-made composite has been around for more than 10,000 years. Nature, of course, comes with her own natural composites. Some examples are bamboo, wood, and bone.

How Do Composite Materials Come into Play in Yacht Building?

The basic framework of the modern yacht came to be almost accidentally. It was in the 1930s when researchers at the glass company in Owens, Illinois, attempted to shape into threadlike form some glass into fibers. They wanted to find alternatives to mineral wool as filter and insulator, hence the procedure.

But wait, there’s more. In the 1940s, boat engineers got into an experimental mood and decided to use thermosetting plastic to construct boats. They were greatly pleased with the results: the hulls were devoid of seams and sharp angles. It was a smooth construction experience, to say the least.

Combining the abovementioned elements paved the way for revolutionary boatbuilding. Thermosetting plastic provided flexibility, and fiberglass offered strength.

The marine industry was never the same after that.

Are There Specific Composite Materials That Produce the Best Yachts?

Composite materials come in all shapes and forms; they’re virtually endless. Thus, it’s little wonder this question always comes up when the subject of yacht building is brought into light: “What’s the most ideal material for constructing yachts?”

There is no right or fixed answer to this query. Composite materials alone don’t make for a solid-enough factor to warrant a conclusive answer. Though they denote elegance and luxury, yachts are actually much more complex than they seem.

Whether you’re eyeing a customized yacht or purchasing a finished one, always be on the lookout for corrosion resistance, strength, and weight. Second, factor in your would-be yacht’s cruising grounds. Will you be using it primarily in freshwater or in saltwater? Steel appears to corrode faster in saltwater, so it’s best to look into that as well.

What Are the Other Points to Keep in Mind in Yacht Construction?

In addition, take into consideration the size of the yacht’s hull. Some composite materials are more ideal for smaller hulls; others are better matches for larger hulls.

Then there are experts who believe composite materials work best for production yachts than custom ones. However, there are custom-yacht firms that delivered superb results with the use of composite materials. This strengthens the need to take all factors into careful study when it comes to yacht construction.

What Are the Usual Composite Materials Used to Build Yachts?

While composite materials come in several forms (as mentioned, virtually endless), a handful of them are mainstays when it comes to yacht production. Here are 3 of these composites:

Glass Fiber

Glass fiber was the product of an experiment conducted by engineers at a glass-manufacturing company in Owens, Illinois, in the 1930s. These fibers are well-known for their strength and flexibility; in fact, about 90% of all boats were built from some form of fiber that has been molded from the original glass fiber.

In addition, this product has properties similar to the silica-based fiberglass of this modern era. Goes to show how much of an influence this composite had in revolutionary boatbuilding.

Aramid

Aromatic polyamide, better known as aramid, entered the yacht-construction scene only about 30 years ago. While a relatively young discovery, it has made a tremendous impact in the creation of seaworthy vessels, yachts included.

This material is perfect for a yacht framework. It is lightweight, and can be woven and interwoven with other composite materials. It stands up to punctures and fatigue too, perfect for voyages into much-rougher seas.

Carbon fiber

It can be said that carbon fiber is the latest star in the world of yacht construction. It is lightweight and stiff; no wonder most manufacturers prefer to use this in their recent boats or models.

What’s more, carbon fiber has a low weight and mass, has remarkable thermal stability, is strong, and is highly durable. It is a bit tricky to work with, though, and is the costliest of all reinforcing fibers. However, it seems its pros far more outweigh its cons, hence its steadily rising demand and use for yacht construction.

Fortunately, rapid developments in science and technology have lent a hand in the human quest for improvement. These advancements led to the production of lighter, more durable materials, and polymer matrix composites (PMCs) are one of these.

Polymer Matrix Composites Defined

Polymer matrix composites “are comprised of a variety of short or continuous fibers bound together by an organic polymer matrix.” They offer high strength and stiffness, unlike ceramic matrix composites (CMC), which offer toughness.

Categories of Polymer Matrix Composites

Polymer matrix composites are classified into two categories. However, there is no concrete property that separates the two, and the sole basis for this distinction lies on mechanical properties.

1. Reinforced plastics

Reinforced plastics are made up of polyester resins, and these resins use E-glass, or low-stiffness glass fibers for reinforcements. They’ve been around much longer, as it was only about 40 years ago when people first began using them for automative panels, boat hulls, pipes, and the like.

2. Advanced composites

Advanced composites, on the other hand, are made up of several matrix and fiber combinations. This results to a composite material of top-notch stiffness and strength.

Compared to reinforced plastics, advanced composites have been around only recently, about 15 years ago. They’re often used in the aerospace industry, but because they’re expensive, they haven’t been used much elsewhere.

Advantages of Polymer Matrix Composites

You’re lucky to be born in a period wherein science and technology have made superior advancements. This applies to not only the scientific community but also the market and consumer fields.

For manufacturers, especially in the transportation realm, polymer matrix composites are the next best things to sliced bread. Here’s why:

1. Lightweight and durable

Polymer matrix composites are favored for their ability to be both lightweight and durable. In the old days, people relied heavily on stones and metals for various purposes, but not everything went well in this front.

Most stones and metals were heavy and bulky, and they were difficult to transport. The early humans succeeded in constructing buildings and structures entirely from stone and metal, but they had to adjust around the characteristics of these resources.

The early humans had other plans involving the use of materials readily available to them. However, down the line, they always had to compromise. Stone, for example, makes for a great shelter, but they couldn’t use it as a battle shield. It would be too heavy to lug around, and the warrior risks losing his balance. Not fun.

2. Fatigue and corrosion resistant

Polymer matrix composites are also favored for their high resistance to corrosion and fatigue. Their plastic encasing makes them virtually invincible against the clutches of wear and tear, and remember, they’re lightweight.

With current polymer matrix composites, they tend to decompose when exposed to temperatures below 316°C (or 600°F). Experts are coming up with methods to improve this characteristic.

Applications of Polymer Matrix Composites

Polymer matrix composites are the stuff of every manufacturer’s dream. They’re a combination of both strength and durability, and they can be fabricated through a process referred to as a lay-up. Thank heavens for modern technology!

1. Aerospace

About 50% of sales for polymer matrix composites come from the aerospace industry. And why not? These composites make for a great building material for airplanes, spacecraft, and the like.

Airbus has pioneered the use of polymer matrix composites in their planes, for example. Other airline companies are likely to follow suit, but as mentioned, price remains a hindrance for this project.

2. Economic areas

Polymer matrix composites help boost up economic areas, be it in a country or in a manufacturing firm. The United States, for example, produced more than a million tons of fiber composites, and this greatly benefitted the national economy.

3. Transport

Transportation has gained a new base-material favorite with polymer matrix composites. These have been used for more than fifty years already, and each year, the world sees an increase in the production of these composite products.

Polymer matrix composites penetrate mostly the automotive manufacturing and railway industries. You can see them in the form of dashboards, car covers, engine covers, car floors, and seats. Yup, they’re practically everywhere in your car.

4. Construction

Polymer matrix composites are used in lighthouses, hydraulic construction, storage tanks, and door and window components, to name a few. They’re also used to reconstruct and repair infrastructure.

5. Shipbuilding

Boats—a large chunk of them, actually—are mostly made up of composite materials. From your yacht, lifeboat, cruise ship, fishing boat, and others, you can find polymer matrix composites in them.

The future of polymer matrix composites is bright and promising. Scientists are constantly seeking ways to improve these materials and address their weak points. It’s exciting what the next step for polymer matrix composites is, so stay tuned.

What is Carbon Fibre?

Have you ever heard of Carbon Fibre? If you have any interest in the materials used in the automotive industry, in the manufacturing of racing cars or bikes, of golf clubs and other sporting equipment, you will no doubt have heard of Carbon Fibre, and how it is improving the quality of the product in all of these industries. Long gone are the days where Carbon Fibre was such an expensive material that it could only be used in the aerospace industry.

But what exactly is Carbon Fibre and why does this material seem to be popping up everywhere?

Put simply, Carbon Fibre is made of thousands of  long thin strands of material mostly made up of Carbon atoms (no surprises there). It is an extremely thin material, the fibres being about 5–10 μm in diameter. But even though it is thin, it is extremely strong, and is also much lighter and less dense than most other materials. It starts becoming clearer why Carbon Fibre is an extremely effective material to use in the production of items that require strength or speed.

There are many other individual qualities of Carbon Fibre versus other materials and for a full list please see here.

Carbon Fibre Manufacturing

So how then is it made? To produce Carbon Fibre, the carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals. These are, more or less, aligned parallel to the fibre.  The crystal alignment is what gives the fibre it’s high strength-to-volume ratio (making it strong for its size).

Several thousand Carbon Fibres are bundled together which can be used by itself, or woven into a fabric.

The production of Carbon Fibre is an expensive and complex process, and each carbon fibre manufacturer has their own techniques for producing their product. The exact science and techniques of this production is a trade secret and is heavily guarded by each company. It is not surprising then that most people have heard of Carbon Fibre but are unsure of how it is made.

Equally, the equipment used to make Carbon Fibre is extremely expensive and is often bespoke to the specific technique of the individual manufacturer: just the equipment alone to produce the fibre can start at around $25 million. That doesn’t include all the research hours and knowledge base put into making a high quality Carbon Fibre product.

For a detailed step by step explanation of the manufacturing process of Carbon Fibre please see here.

One way to use Carbon Fibre is to combine it with another material such as plastic resine for example, and this is called a composite. This combination makes the material cheaper to produce and widens the product base it can create. For more information on composites and how they are increasingly being innovated and used please see here. One of the more common composites is known as Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer, or CFRP, and is commercially produced for many industries.

If you are interested in the science behind Carbon Fibre, or for an indepth look at the chemistry, please see here.

How Can It Be Used?

We know that Carbon Fibre is lighter, less dense, and stronger than almost any other material. It is also expensive to produce, so how can it be used to in a way to make it most useful for products where value for money is important? How can Carbon Fibre be a viable commercial product and cost effective?

The short answer is that it hasn’t been easy. Companies like 3MB have worked tirelessly in their labs and with worldwide experts to keep improving this unique product. Thanks to the way it is produced, each company’s Carbon Fibre product is individually recognisable, and its production techniques are a closely guarded secret, considered intellectual property.

Due to the beneficial properties mentioned above, one of the recent and exciting new products made from Carbon Fibre manufactured by 3MB is the new improved edition of the Snow Bike, the YETI SNOWMX.

Thanks to the magic ingredient of the Carbon Fibre concept created by 3MB, this Snowbike can amass greater speeds, push further and reach higher than ever before. It is an astonishing 16kg lighter than its main competitor. The YETI SNOWMX took two and a half years of working with the best manufacturers from around the world to produce, but it would not have been possible without 3MB’s Carbon Fibre concept. The strength of the concept is an incredible low weight ratio combined using aerospace processes calculated by professionals.

We mentioned above that Carbon Fibre is used in many industries, one of them being the manufacturer of racing cars, where ever greater speeds and less weight can make the difference between a triumphant victory or coming last. Of glory or failure. A full Carbon Fibre racing car is no longer even a dream, it’s a reality. If you don’t happen to be a professional racing car driver, it is also used in supercars and if you would like to buy one of the world’s most expensive then have a look at our list here.

Now we know more about the qualities of Carbon Fibre and how it is being produced to be less expensive and more commercially available, the benefits of using it in a wide range of fields are obvious. Take for example its use in the construction industry. It could make houses that are strong enough to resist tornadoes or earthquakes, to make bridges that are stronger and safer, or to repair older structures to make them safe and habitable once again.

This product not only makes your bicycle go faster, but it can save lives, and considering that Carbon Fibre is thinner than a human hair, it is an incredible material indeed.