Carbon fiber and metal hybrid components
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The carbon fiber composite and metal hybrid components were several projects that all used the same manufacturing method I developed for bonding carbon fiber composite tubes with metal inserts with different surface designs. The development was started in 2017 and lasted for three years. With the idea of further improving the acceleration of the Baja SAE vehicles, weight reduction in rotational mass was the key to improve drivetrain efficiency. The redesign of rear suspension allowed the team to use lightweight materials other than steel.
To test the concept, I started with making smaller carbon fiber composite and aluminum hybrid tie rods, so that they could be easily tested on the tensile tester to see the bond strength. The clearance between the composite tubes and metal inserts were controlled and different surface finishes were tested to ensure the maximum bond strength. Cross sections of the samples were cut for further analysis. After several rounds of testing, the design that provide the best tensile strength were selected for tie rod insert designs.
After achieving the desired tensile strength, the process was incorporated into different components on the vehicle. Carbon fiber upper front control arms were made and tested, comparing to the steel control arms.
Carbon fiber and metal hybrid upper control arms and frame members were designed and made for additional vehicle weight reduction. New welding procedure was developed to weld the metal ends of the hybrid frame members without overheating the bond between carbon and metals. These designs allowed the frame to improve in torsional stiffness without adding weight.
Hybrid driveshafts: Inserts U joints yoke designed specifically for both torsional load and tension. The subassembly is the lightest in the competition.
