Composite Tech not just for Planes

While most of us in this MRO world think and talk about the massive increases in the use of composite materials in the new Boeing and Airbus airplanes I was astonished to see how far Trek is going in the use of composites on it latest bicycle.

Over at one of my favorite reads, Velo News, it's all about cycling, Lennard Zinn just came out with a technical review of the new Madone. The Madone is the bike that Lance Armstrong rides for those not in this loop. The composite technology allows fascinating things here just as it does in the aircraft and you can see why it is becoming the manufacturing material of choice.

Zinn calls the new bike "revolutionary" and points to what the composite is allowing Trek to do. Writes Zinn, "the frame will far outlast the bearings several times over. In fact, its tests showed that the steel of the bearing cartridges gets worn down and notched after enough time on the pedaling through water day and night at 85rpm, and the steel balls themselves crack. But the carbon fiber shows no sign of wear-a completely unexpected result. " http://www.velonews.com/tech/report/articles/12366.0.html

It made me think about all the claims for less maintenance on the future composite planes as well. A side note that doesn't make me too happy, Boeing and Airbus are running around the world buying up all the composite materials they can get their hands on. It's making the bicycle I want get a lot more expensive.

Ed Hazelwood

Comments

[Angélique Goulette]

Objet : Première exposition sur les matériaux composites à la cité des Sciences du 3 au 11 novembre : entrée libre et gratuite !

Bonjour,
Je suis Angélique Goulette et j’organise pour le Groupe JEC une exposition unique en son genre sur les matériaux composites : « made in matériaux composites ».

Cette manifestation « made in matériaux composites » sera consacrée au décryptage des matériaux composites dans les applications courantes du quotidien. Elle révélera tous les secrets de fabrication des objets design de la vie quotidienne. Plus d’une vingtaine d’objets primés lors d’un concours de design « Composites-on-Tour 2 », venus du monde entier seront exposés. A cette occasion, des ateliers pédagogiques viendront enrichir cette exposition : film d’animation 3D, jeux interactifs, espace expérimental (expériences scientifiques) et une journée dédiée aux rencontres étudiants-professionnels le mardi 6 novembre dans l’espace amphi show.

N’hésitez pas à relayer l’information autour de vous.

Pour en savoir plus allez sur le mini site de l’expo www.jeccomposites.com, dans la bannière
Et pour visionner la bande annonce en avant première, vous pouvez la télécharger sur youtube ou dailymotion (exposition matériaux composites)

[Alex Stall]

While aviation has embraced composites, I'm waiting for the automotive industry to do the same. Fuel economy could be greatly improved with lighter materials, which is a big reason composites are so popular in the aerospace industry.

[A and P License]

High end automobiles have been using composites for quite some time. The only drawback to composites is cost. I would not expect to see the price come down anytime soon. The trade offs for the automobile industry does not make it a worthwhile endeavor. I would love to take that bike for a spin though!