Various Applications of Carbon Fiber
Applications for carbon fiber are only limited by the imagination of engineers who design products. New uses continue to be discovered. Just a few short years ago, carbon fiber was considered an exotic and expensive material from which to manufacture products. Now it can be found in many aspects of our daily lives. Carbon fiber has many amazing properties that make it ideal for a wide variety of applications. A few of its many applications are discussed below.
Carbon Fiber in Industrial Automation and Robotics
The ability of carbon fiber to reduce weight and increase structural stiffness in industrial applications allows for faster movement, reduced cycle time, and reduced motor and actuator loads. These result in increased productivity and reduced maintenance. Replacing heavy metal components with light, stiff carbon fiber components reduces machine downtime, which can significantly improve profitability. Using lightweight end effectors increases production line speed, reduces loads, and improves precision and reliability. In many cases, carbon fiber replacement parts can be integrated into existing manufacturing lines without many other changes. Simply swapping out end effectors with carbon fiber ones can reduce their weight by 35% or more, reducing vibration and bearing and motor wear.
Carbon Fiber Idler Rollers
Idler rollers can be fabricated from carbon fiber tubes with stiffness comparable to aluminum or steel, depending on the application. Weighing in at half the weight of aluminum and ⅕ the weight of steel, carbon fiber idler rollers can solve many problems associated with metal rollers, including inertial and bending issues. Some advantages and benefits of carbon fiber idler rollers over metal include:
Advantage | Benefit |
|---|---|
Lower roller inertia and increased stiffness |
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Less power & fewer motors required to run |
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Reduced roller weight |
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Faster line speeds |
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Carbon Fiber UAVs and Drones
The availability of lightweight, strong carbon fiber composites for UAV structures can provide a significant advantage in meeting airframe weight goals. Obviously, this makes carbon fiber composites the ideal solution for building drones. In fact, as the drone/UAV market has grown in recent years, increased demand for payload capacity and performance have made carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) the most sought-after material for UAV airframe construction. Further, carbon fiber composites are ideally suited for multi-rotor helicopter construction due to the reduced inertia and increased stiffness of carbon fiber rotors, which reduces vibration, keeping the UAV more stable during flight.
Carbon Fiber for Marine and Aircraft Interiors
When it comes to the luxury yacht and aircraft interiors, using carbon fiber composites benefits the design in two ways:
Weight reduction—offers improved fuel efficiency and increased payload
High-tech distinction—with the beautiful aesthetic of carbon fiber
Carbon Fiber Aerospace Tooling and Manufacturing Fixtures
Large tools, such as those used in aircraft production, can be exceedingly heavy. Using carbon fiber composites in the fabrication of such tools and fixtures can reduce their weight by 50% or more, and in some cases, up to 75%. The benefits of creating carbon fiber tooling include:
Improved ergonomics
Faster installation and teardown
Reduced transportation costs
Lower potential for causing damage
Carbon Fiber Electronics Enclosures
When sensitive electronics, lasers, mirrors, and sensors must be stored or transported, carbon fiber is the ideal material from which to construct enclosures. Benefits of using carbon fiber to fabricate electronics enclosures include:
Reduced weight
Increased natural frequency
Reduced thermal expansion
Availability of EMI shielding, RF shielding, and RFID blocking
Radar Structures and Tactical Military and SWAT Gear
A major challenge for military equipment is transported to remote locations. Building radar structures and other equipment from carbon fiber composites, Kevlar, and fiberglass can mean the difference between being able to carry equipment in or having to transport it by vehicle. Some advantages to building radar structures and tactical military and SWAT gear from these materials include
Lighter weight and improved portability for support structures and telescoping equipment, including fold-out ladders, poles, and portable bridges
Near invisibility to radar signals when using Kevlar and fiberglass for radomes
Improved electrical and thermal conductivity
Medical Imaging, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Applications
Carbon fiber is an ideal solution for constructing medical imaging tables, arm supports, and similar components. Benefits of creating these items from carbon fiber include:
CF maintains dimensions under load due to superior strength and stiffness
CF will not break down, even after years of x-ray or gamma-ray exposure
Substantially less attenuation of x-rays in the carbon fiber matrix
Carbon Fiber in Musical Instruments
Carbon fiber strips are excellent materials for many aspects of building musical instruments. Some uses of carbon fiber strips in musical instrument construction include
Neck reinforcement
Headstock joint strengthening
Guitar bracing
Lattice support bracing—allows greater thinning for increased response
Longitudinal internal supports—reduces stress on top sounding plates
Other Carbon Fiber Applications
The lightweight and superior strength and stiffness of carbon fiber over most traditional metals mean carbon fiber can be used to improve the design of just about any item imaginable. A few other applications for carbon fiber include:
High-end Furniture
And new applications just continue to develop.