RE: Composite vehicles (was: Please allow me to introduce myself...)

["Chris Tromley" <chris_t@microtrac.com>]

David Brandt wrote:

> Actually, composite tooling is quite different from tooling
> required to make
> standard metal car components.  Tooling can be made from
> other composites,
> plastics, etc.  Where I work we can easily make composite tooling for
> autoclave bonding composite parts using nothing but a little
> graphite cloth
> and a steel tube framework to hold it up off the ground (with
> wheels, of
> course).

Yeah, I know composites are a different world.  You're right, the tool is
fairly easy.  I was thinking more in terms of the equipment to produce the
parts from the tool in volume.  It's not my area of expertise, but I believe
that even if you're capitalized for maximum productivity, composites can't
be made at the same stamp-'em-out levels of cost and repeatability as metal
or injection-molded plastics.  They are therefore more variable and costly.

> Yes!  Precisely what I deal with every day!  Although we are
> equipped to
> repair composites, the parts are not designed to be repaired
> to begin with!
> If nothing else, design the structure to be repairable!

I wasn't aware we had another composites guru on the list.  I also realized
(just after hitting the Send button) that I hadn't mentioned Jerry Dycus'
considerable experience.

Chris Crouch didn't say anything about making his vehicle with production in
mind.  That's OK, it gets another EV on the road.

Chris, I hope you consider the reparability issue in your design.  Any
advance there helps the EV cause.  You'll find this list an invaluable
resource - ask and ye shall receive!

Chris