Hi I was watching this clip and I’m curios about what the white plastic stuff is. It has a tube inside which will be inflated . How do they get it out ? if its desolved out what is it made of?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSUKM3bvcyk
Have a look at 1:40 on love to know about this.
Cheers
Matt
I think some bike manufacturers use EPS and dissolve it out. Others fill latex bladders with glass beads which I believe increase in size when heated and then get removed once the finished part has cooled.
Foam core molding uses a similar process, but heat activated foam applies the internal molding pressure instead of a rubber bladder
Another snippet of info - “Velocite’s manufacturing partner has a proprietary method that uses special polymer bladders which are inflated to a higher pressure, and use specific solid silicon forms in key areas for perfect shape control”
There is a little bit of info about the process Scott - http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Scott-Advert-Gives-a-Detailed-View-of-the-Carbon-Fiber-Manufactu.html
Are you planning on making your own carbon frame?
I would love to visit a bike factory and see it all for myself. Building a carbon bike frame is definitely on my future ‘to-do’ list.
What is EPS ? what’s its full name and what is it dissolved with? I do make carbon parts now just trying to further the R & D . I have been building multi rotor drones . How do you think they make the bladders in that article?
Matt
Is EPS Polystyrene ?
Yes, Expanded Polystyrene. Acetone gets used to dissolve it.
As for how do they make the bladders? I don’t know, to be honest. I would guess regarding latex bladders, the latex gets poured into the mold cavity to get the desired shape and the removed once cured.
I can’t remember who makes them, but there is a company who can make bladders that are solid up to a certain temperature and then go soft afterwards so once the part has cured, you can remove the bladder. They are reusable as well, if memory serves.