How strong are carbon parts really?

General Composites Discussions Engineering Talk
#1

Until now I have been wrapping parts for a few people on the side.
But in the few minutes iv been here iv been seeing some panel’s replicated. How strong are these really?

#2

It depends on resin, fiber, and manf. process. You can get a good idea in this thread from Tet. http://www.compositescentral.com/showthread.php?t=2683

#3

Thanks Rotorage

#4

[ame=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA9Kato1CxA”]Boeing 787 wing break test - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md3OvnCZj2s”]Tension testing 2 - YouTube[/ame] about 32000 psi.

All depends on what it is, and what you are doing to it :slight_smile:

#5

I mean in a DIY made at home application

#6

Still depends on the same factors. In a home application carbon fiber probably won’t break if you try pulling on it, but if you bend it, or hit it, it might fail.

#7

depends on knowledge, materials and process.

#8

Those 787 wings are pretty cool. Instead of sandwich construction in the skins, they are a solid carbon laminate to maximise penetration resistance. I was handed a hammer and safety glasses and instructed to hit it as hard as possible. Didn’t even mark it. Amazing.
Then, any repairs can be scarfed by CNC. Sure beats hours of grinding by hand.

#9

After hitting what you see is only the first outer ply…but problems will be in the inner plies (e.g. pinetree delamination).
Currently, great effort is placed in finding the minimum amount of energy necessary to damage a laminate; the main sources of these damages are right dropping objects during maintenance and/or repairs, or bird strikes…All these situation are similar to your hardly hitting the surface with a hammer…therefore not safe situation for a solid laminate (not to say if it is a wing…!!).
Sometimes the word “strong” can be ambiguous…