Laminate Sample #23: Open-Molded “Cosmetic" E-glass / Carbon Sheet
Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль
This Laminate Sample #23 is very simple! It provides a quick look at one way to make a carbon 'veneer' to surface things that want to look carbonish without actually being carbon structurally. I am no fan of 'cosmetic' carbon and think it's kind of a waste, but some people have asked about it and it is a common thing, so here's one option on how to do it... not saying its the best!
Some considerations:
Polyester resin makes nice surface finishes easier, especially with chopped strand mat or veil with a resin soluble binder. Here the roller is the only means of compaction and the high-viscosity resin stays put - there is a lot of resin though!
UV protection is a common problem with clear carbon - usually solved with a 2-part paint system. With polyester, you can apply a UV-resistant gelcoat in-mold and have a polish-able/buff-able surface.
A final consideration when making carbon veneer is making it thick enough that it can be glued to things without bending too much and making a wavy surface. Thickness is the answer here unless you have a perfectly flat substrate. The plies of mat make the thickness here very cheap while preserving the carbon look - which is after-all the goal of "cosmetic" carbon veneer!
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Пікірлер: 15
Would a panel like this made in epoxy be strong enough for a hood?
GOOD IDEA for a cosmetic effect many thanks
@ExploreComposites
3 жыл бұрын
It isn't the best way but it can be a good enough way at the right price!
Kyle.Engineers says that you shouldnt wrap Fiberglass in CF, is this because of the lack of strength and adhesion per layer? I do notice that it flexes more than 4 layers of carbon would typically
@ExploreComposites
3 жыл бұрын
Oh yes he’s generally right on. This is not an example of anything structural! The carbon here is purely cosmetic and the resin is polyester. You’d use this to add some bling “carbon” but not to do any actual work. If carbon fibers and glass are laminated together in the same direction the carbon being stiffer will load up and do all the work before the glass even really starts to help. Also avoid carbon with polyester resin for real things because the resin strength isn’t there and adhesion is much better with epoxy. Also CTE issues and other problems.
What yields more mechanical strength..? More epoxy or less epoxy to a regular fiberglass cloth???
@ExploreComposites
3 жыл бұрын
The fiberglass gives the strength, the epoxy holds it all together. You only need enough resin to allow the fibers to do their mechanical stuff - usually about 30-45% by weight. Beyond that excess resin just adds weight and can reduce mechanical properties of the composite. Optimal fiber to resin ratios depend on reinforcement type and style...
How to do this with printed content? What kind of printed paper will work???
@ExploreComposites
Жыл бұрын
You want to laminate something printed into a part? You can use regular printer paper with prepreg or infusion but it looks kinda ugly. People use rice paper for this which works better. Check out "Boardlams" for an example
I’m confused… the video shows the carbon as the second layer and csm being the first … am I missing something?
@ExploreComposites
2 жыл бұрын
CSM goes on the surface just to give it some depth and hold a resin-rich layer against the mold(table) surface. Also makes a somewhat symmetrical laminate to reduce warping.
I'm surprised how "clear" your chopped strand mat was! The part simply looks like a CF laminate.
@jackonsville
3 жыл бұрын
Yes, I rewatched it twice to check that it was csm that went on first.
@ExploreComposites
3 жыл бұрын
It is pretty good - the mat just sort of melts away as long as its fully wet out. It isn't quite as good as clear-coat on a "real" carbon surface and it looks like there's more depth with this - because there is. Chopped strand mat could be replaced with an even thinner veil probably but I didn't have any... You can still see a little shrinkage on the surface from the glass strands but that should go away with a clear finish and gelcoat would hide it.
@kizzjd9578
Жыл бұрын
@@ExploreComposites sorry this is an old comment but just wondering if you’ve used the powder bonded csm to be used with carbon / epoxy laminates rather than the styrene bonded csm that generally gets used with fibreglass/polyester resin layups?