Attention carbon manufacturers (A.Webb?)

[millsn]

Can anyone help me with the technology / method required to create a carbon / aluminium honeycomb composite panel (double skinned carbon). I need to visit a compnay already involved in working prepregs or similar as I've been asked to develop the technology in house (we make boats) very quickly. Need help. Anyone?

 

Nigel Mills - 2.0 Zetec carbs

[dino ferrana]

Can't help but I thought I would BTT it for you.

[PACR]

Try: www.c-t-s-ltd.co.uk

 

These people make racing car chassis and bodywork from carbon as well as various structures for other applications. They are based in Huntingdon.

 

Not sure if they will be able to guide you to how to set up an in house operation - might be worth finding out how cost effective it would be to get them to provide a complete assembly.

 

(I do have a slight connection but it's not exactly blatant advertising.....)

 

PACR

[posix]

Sandwich core construction is no more complex than simple lay-up. You will definitely use epoxy resin (better adhesion between carbon layers and honeycomb plus numerous other structural advantages, but then you're in the boat building business so you allready know that) and the only complexity is building the male and female moulds that allow for the added thickness of the honeycomb but at the same time so it slightly presses the outer carbon layers onto the core honeycomb. And that's that really!

[Peter Carmichael]

I was hearing about funky mast technology using aluminium mandrels, carbon lay-up and heatshrink.

 

Apparently the mandrels expand in the oven and the heat shrink shrinks, giving the required compaction without the need for an autoclave. Once cooled the mandrels drop out of the middle and the heatshrink is snipped off.

[DanB]

Try SP Systems - www.spsystems.com - they do all sorts of composites including carbon/ali honeycomb stuff and I've always found them to be very helpful even when dealing with small-scale wet lay-up monkeys like me.

 

Dan

[Chelspeed]

You could try Pro-Tech, they're on http://www.protechmotorsport.co.uk/ From their web site they appear to be open to doing one -offs. Caterham have been buying wings and nosecones off them recently and it would appear for a few years.

[millsn]

Piers, can you check your hotmail I need to contact you.

 

Thanks very much all for your help. We're investigating the contacts supplied.

 

Nigel Mills - 2.0 Zetec carbs

[Mat Norris]

try http://www.hexcelcomposites.com/default.htm. They have just kindly donated some super honeycomb material to build this years Ford Goodwood Soapbox.

[gramey]

An important thing to consider is that carbon fibre and aluminum are not good friends due to the galvanic differences and some kind of barrier is required to separate them. The potential result is the degradation of the aluminum core at the nodes where they are bonded to the skins is there is insufficient adhesive coating. There are those that believe that a supported film adhesive (the kind with a scrim cloth like nylon stocking material) between the aluminum core and carbon prepreg skins is sufficient. Whoever (whomever?) you contact should be able to answer this question and also give you guidance on long term durability of such a construction, particularly in wet environments. A fibreglass barrier prepreg ply between the core and carbon skins is one technique, but you have to take that into account when performing any structural or flexural considerations. What kind of boats do you plan to build? The above ranting is not applicable to short term applications like America's Cup boats because they are not designed to last for years of continuous duty.

[RiF]

Nigel,

If you want a consultant to set up a proper production then I could help. Give me a ring on 01424 812516 or e-mail me.

 

Richard in France

with a yellow rolling chassis, awaiting ordered Duratec parts 😬 😬 😬