CARBON FIBRE

ASIDE FROM BEING A STRONG AND DURABLE MATERIAL, CARBON FIBRE IS ALSO INCREDIBLY LIGHT WEIGHT.

Primarily used in the aerospace industry, it was later introduced into the Formula One™ arena by McLaren in the 1980s for the building of their chassis. A material offering stiffness and strength at low density– while lighter than aluminium and steel, it can provide up to x10 times more rigidity, and strength.

The primary benefit of carbon fibre products is in their strength-weight ratio. To weigh two physically identical components made of steel and carbon fibre, the carbon fibre part could typically be 70% lighter. When utilised, this saving makes a vehicle substantially lighter. Less physical weight to be pulled by the engine allows for greater engine efficiency, lower rpm, and less fuel consumption.

AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE TRACK

DURABILITY

Carbon Fibre Exhibits Different Strength Levels In Different Directions, Unlike Isotropic Metals. During The Manufacturing Process, The Order In Which The Fabrics Are Woven Can Enhance The Strength In One Area While Reducing It In Others.

Simply put, one can decide which part of the carbon fibre component is more rigid than other areas to suit functional needs.

Carbon fibre has almost no elasticity because it does not yield. It may bend slightly under load but not permanently and will not deform. When carbon fibre’s maximum strength is exceeded, it fails suddenly and may shatter into pieces. Users must keep in mind the non-elastic behaviour of carbon fibre when deploying the products to avoid accidents or unwanted damage to carbon fibre.

Carbon fibre parts are also significantly more expensive than aluminium parts due to the high cost of the raw materials, the manufacturing process, and the advanced technology required. However, this cost disadvantage may be reduced as additional production techniques are introduced in the future.

THE FUTURE

Motorsports Constant Drive For Innovation. Each Team Seeking A New Technology To Cross The Finish Line 1/10th Of A Second Faster. To Achieve Victory We Have Perfected Working With A Range Of Different Materials And Grades, Over Decades.

This has given us the opportunity over time to thoroughly develop and refine working with exotic metal alloys- which is proving pivotal in defining the future uses for carbon fibre…

Matrices – At present, most carbon fibres are used as reinforcement for polymers. Fabrication technologies for carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are now reaching a mature state. This allows effective alternatives to metals in various elite/technical fields i.e. aerospace, sporting equipment, civil engineering, etc. However, there are many structures in which metal alloys cannot be replaced with CFRPs because of, firstly, the limited temperatures that plastics can survive, and secondly, the relatively low fracture toughness of CFRPs. This has driven research to develop carbon-fibre/metal-matrix composites (CFMMCs), considering aluminium, titanium, and nickel alloys as potential matrix materials.