Body : The use of carbon fiber has been ever increasing in recent years, and this material has been replacing many traditional materials like steel and aluminum, which have dominated the market for many decades. The reason lies in the properties of carbon fiber composites which make it superior to these conventional materials. Not only providing the best density to stiffness ratio out of all the materials present, but carbon fiber also exhibits very minimal thermal expansion, making it appropriate for use in a vast range of industries and products. Curious where these carbon fiber panels can be used, then read through this article, and by the end, you will be aware of a lot of ideas in which CNC carbon fiber panels would be suitable.
1. Drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Drone seeing is a common sight, and nowadays, these UAVs or drones are not only used by the military for surveillance purposes, but their uses have been a growing trend among the content creators and vloggers as well to provide awe-struck drone shoots to the viewers. Required to be lightweight and aerodynamically efficient, drones use carbon fibers to check all of their requirements. Due to their basic shapes, sheets and tubes are also relatively simple to process, which avoids costly mold making. Hence, this lightweight material contributes to accurate movements, longer flight times, and greater carrying capacity for cameras, cargo, or other goods.
2. Industrial Automation and Robotics
Although a relatively novel concept for third-world countries, robots and fully structured automated industrial plants are now being used on a wide scale. Plants incorporating automated machines into their manufacturing processes continuously endeavor to improve efficiency through increased speed and greater precision. This can only be achieved by reducing weight and increasing the stiffness of the robotics and the robotic end effectors. Carbon fiber enables the end effectors to be lightweight, resulting in increased speed on the production line, higher precision, reduced motor and actuator loads, improved reliability, and fast robot movement.
3. Machine Parts
Carbon fiber sheets can significantly lower the mass of continuously moving parts, resulting in improved efficiency of the machine due to fast acceleration and less braking time. Smaller size moving pats also mean a decrease in energy consumption, leading to devices demanding less power and purchasing machine at a lower price point. Another useful property of Carbon Fiber, minimal thermal expansion, and vibration dampening, also comes in handy during the manufacture of machines and tools that need to operate in a variable temperature environment. Thus, making it suitable for 3D scanning technologies, which require this property.
Also, carbon fiber composites are used to manufacture many aircraft parts, including but not limited to the main body, wings, tails which make them fuel-efficient and enable less maintenance as carbon fiber does not corrode as other traditional metals do.
4. Motorsports
Whether it be a bike or formula one car, all motorsports vehicles require them to be aerodynamically efficient. The ability of carbon fiber parts to provide the best weight to rigidness plays an integral role in manufacturing such vehicles. As these cars and bikes required maximum torque with fast acceleration, this is provided by carbon fiber parts manufacturing – which is not only lightweight but also stiff, providing better traction and handling on the road. In addition to providing fast acceleration, safety in these supercars is also of paramount importance as a collision at such high speeds can, more often than not, prove to be fatal. Resultantly, manufacturers looked upon alternatives that could offer the best absorb impact. Carbon fiber was the obvious choice as carbon fiber composite provides better Specific Energy Absorption (SEA) that can be as high as 40kJ/kg to 60kJ/kg compared to aluminum which showed 20 kJ/kg and steel around 12 kJ/kg. Although these strips break down into smaller fragments during the impact, the process offers the maximum impact resistivity.
5. Musical Instruments
It might sound surprising to you, but the properties of carbon fiber composites can also be utilized in the field of music and musical instruments, as it offers low mass and high rigidness. In designing different configurations for neck strengthening in wood necks, carbon fiber sheets can be used. For the reinforcement of the headstock joint, short strips may be used. Carbon fiber sheets can be used in guitar bracing, where they are used as a stiffening laminate in conjunction with balsa or spruce. In the lattice support bracing of the top plate, strips may allow more significant thinning for increased response. Some manufacturers have also come up with an innovative idea of using these strips as longitudinal internal supports to reduce stress. Not only this, but the use of carbon fiber composite can be extended to the manufacturing and repairing of stringed instruments, most notably in neck reinforcement, giving it more stability and reduced twisting. The orientation of carbon fiber strips is dependent on the cross-sectional dimensions of the instrument’s neck. Aside from all the benefits carbon fiber parts provides in terms of repairing and production, one can also make the guitar even more appealing with carbon fiber veneer details attached on the front and back with the epoxy adhesive. Hence, due to its high strength and low mass, and its bonding with epoxy and other adhesives, carbon fiber is a pathway for making novel generation instruments.
6. Tactical Bridges and Ladders
Carbon fiber composites hold a substantial edge over conventional materials in the construction of modern tactical carbon fiber ladders and bridges. The ladders formerly used were heavier and difficult to carry around, especially those used by the SWAT police and military, so they required something lightweight yet durable and portable. Hence, these tactical bridges and ladders, and platforms can now also be made from carbon fiber parts, which is suitable for such type of equipment and satisfies the requirements. Similarly, telescopic poles made from this material allow users to carry them easily and extend the pole to up to 40 feet or even more.
7. METROLOGY AND SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT
The field of meteorology requires minimal thermal expansion and high stability resulting in carbon fiber becoming the first-choice material. Where other materials seem prone to thermal changes due to expansion and contraction, carbon fiber remains unchanged over a broader range of temperature and can withstand around 500F degree temperature for an extended period. Moreover, this material can survive adverse temperatures, such as direct exposure to propane torch for 30 to 50 seconds with only a slight reduction in rigidness. Also, carbon fiber panels can be drawn into the shape required for the equipment of choice.
In short, carbon fibers have been progressively used for a diverse range of products, and it is evident that with each passing day, even more products would incorporate carbon fibers in their manufacturing. This article has tried to give you a glimpse of a few areas where these carbon fiber composite can be used.