elkamino Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 I heard it is possible to vacuum form carbon fiber. I have not been able to find any information on this. Can any materials experts chime in? I'd love to know operating temps and what the best configuration , thickness, etc. of carbon fiber would work. I though it'd be kinda cool to make a carbon fiber trooper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025[501st] Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Here is some info on sheet material; http://robotcombat.com/store_carbon_fiber_faq.html I wouldn't think it is vac-formable due to the carbon fibers not being condusive to being heated and stretched. Plus getting no hits on forming sites is an indicator. We try forming anything that melts. However, carbon fiber sheets come in very thin gauges, so you could lay something up with paper thin sheets stacked & laminated together. Seems like a money pit though, that stuff doesn't come cheap. I saw it formed industrially for car parts with a heat press (using a two part metal mold inside a giant press) on the Discovery channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty White Boy[501st] Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 I seem to recall finding a vinal shelf paper like materail once that was printed with a scanned carbon fiber image. Will look into this and try to find it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dishnu Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 I heard it is possible to vacuum form carbon fiber. I have not been able to find any information on this. Can any materials experts chime in? I'd love to know operating temps and what the best configuration , thickness, etc. of carbon fiber would work. I though it'd be kinda cool to make a carbon fiber trooper. Sorry it is not possible from my Experence in dealing with Carbon Fiber to Vacumeform it. you can use the molds and lay the carbon fiber on them to make the armor but you will still need Resin to harden the fiber after that you can use a vaccume to compress the CArbon fiber to the the shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted July 1, 2007 Report Share Posted July 1, 2007 I think you can get carbon fibre print/embossed plastic that will vacuum form but I have never heard of the actual carbon fibre been formed. It is moulded just like fibreglass with resin AFAIK. Only thermoset and thermoplastic can be heat formed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karmatiger Posted July 7, 2007 Report Share Posted July 7, 2007 you don't vacuum form carbon fibre like you vacuum form plastic - you vacuum bag it. It's a way of minimizing the resin required and has nothing to do with determining the shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkamino Posted July 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Thank you for the input everyone. I think the resin method would have to be the route to go at this point. Not something I plan to do in the near future but a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Jax Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Sure you weren't thinking of poly carbonate? That IS formable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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