Carbon Fiber Triple Clamp

[jsharpphoto]

I have a buddy who works for a company that supplies composite materials to the aviation industry. He gave me some scraps of this new product, a 10-ply carbon fiber that's 1/8th thick. He said that it can be laminated up to any thickness. Im trying to wrap my head around problems from machine a new top triple out of it, instead of aluminum block.

It's stronger than aluminum, and weighs 50% less. My only concern is that it has zero flex. I think it might have a problem with the clamping pressure around the fork tubes.

Any advice?

 

[J-Rod10]

I think you may have issues with cracking around your stress points.

Then again, they are making car wheels, and bicycle frames out of it.

I'm assuming something of that thickness, is going to need to be done in an autoclave.

 

[jsharpphoto]

I'm assuming something of that thickness, is going to need to be done in an autoclave.

Correct.

Now that I look more at the stock triple, I notice it's not really clamping AROUND the tube, as it is clamping straight down on to the tube from above. Kind of like a space/fork brace.

 

[xb33bsa]

carbon fiber is not a viable material for a triple clamp

 

[jsharpphoto]

Pretty much what I figured, honestly.

 

[Flugtechnik]

Again, I agree with the X-tra Bold 33 Bull Shit Artist, carbon fiber is stronger in certain respects to aluminum. Mainly in in-plane loads where sheet material is used. Its through thickness properties are lousy.


END OF LINE

 

[jsharpphoto]

Now I need to figure out what to do with all of this carbon fiber. It's already hardened, so it can't be contoured.

Gauge faces
License plate bracket
Tail light bracket
Pedestrian slicer

Any other ideas

 

[J-Rod10]

Gauge faces are a solid idea.