Tubes Compatible With This Connector
DragonPlate tube connectors provide an easy and robust method for connecting our 1.5" carbon fiber tubes to form lightweight, rigid structures.
One of the primary concerns when bonding metal fittings into carbon fiber tubes is that the metal component, when subjected to reductions in temperature, will shrink much more than the carbon fiber tube. To eliminate this problem, our patent pending connector incorporates a slotted tubular design, which has a two-fold effect. First, the slots allow the aluminum to contract circumferentially without as much change in the nominal diameter of the insert. Secondly, the slots comply with the part, further alleviating peel stresses by prohibiting the aluminum part from imparting as much peel force on the adhesive layer. In addition, this design includes a ridged outer surface. This further strengthens the bond inside the carbon fiber tube by placing more epoxy in shear (and most structural epoxies are about 100 times stronger in shear than in peel).
This combination of form, function, and resistance to thermal delamination makes our DragonPlate tube connectors a versatile and robust option for many projects. Each connector also comes with a foam plug to contain adhesive and enough bond line control glass microbeads to ensure a proper bond fit.