Which Carbon Fibre Sheet
Carbon Mods manufacture 3 different types of carbon fibre sheet. Knowing which one is right for your application isn’t always easy so we’ve put together this guide to help you understand the differences and choose the right one.
Carbon Fibre Sheet (1mm, 2mm)
This was our original carbon fibre sheet and is still our best seller. The sheet is manufactured with a UV resistant gel-coat surface which provides a durable high gloss surface. A single layer of genuine 2/2 twill 3k carbon fibre fabric is then backed up by high performance woven E-glass fabric. This manufacturing technique is known as wet-lay.
Advantages
- The polyester gel-coat used for the surface of the sheet is very UV resistant and protects the sheet from discolouration caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight.
- The gel-coat surface allows fine scratches to be polished out ensuring that the sheet can be kept looking its best.
- By using glass reinforcement to back up the carbon fibre the cost of the sheet is kept as low as possible without affecting the appearance of the sheet in any way.
Considerations
- Although very high performance, E-glass is not quite as strong as carbon fibre so a carbon/glass sheet is not as strong as a 100% carbon one.
- Because the sheet is manufactured using dry carbon fabric some distortion of the weave pattern will always occur during production.
- The wet lay manufacturing technique means that the reverse side of the sheet is uneven and therefore unsuitable for applications where the sheet will be seen from both sides or where a smooth flat finish is required on both sides.
Robotics Grade Carbon Fibre Sheet (1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm)
To accommodate the needs of the most demanding applications we manufacture a 100% pre-preg carbon fibre sheet that we call ‘Robotics Grade’. The name stems from the suitability of the material for use in engineering applications such robotics and R/C modelling but the material is equally suited to any application where optimum strength, consistency and surface finish (on both sides) are required.
The sheet is manufactured using a combination of surfacing and backing pre-preg sourced from the most tightly quality controlled suppliers. The sheets are cured under pressure at high temperature and have a perfectly true glassy surface finish.
Advantages
- Maximum strength to weight ratio derived from maximum fibre content, epoxy matrix and 100% carbon reinforcement.
- Tight tolerance of sheet thickness
- Double sided surface finish (the sheet is identical on both sides)
- No distortion in the weave pattern
Considerations
- Significantly more expensive than our standard carbon fibre sheet (above)
- Although the epoxy matrix is UV resistant, it is not as resistant as the polyester gel-coat used in the standard sheet.
- At only a few microns, there is no thickness of gel-coat to polish should the surface get scratched. Any abrasive polishing will matt the surface.
Ultra-Lite Single Sided Panel (4mm)
Combining the strengths of different materials is the essence of composite technology and for our Ultra-Lite Single Sided Panel we combine the strengths of carbon fibre with a high performance foam core to create a sandwich panel with incredible deflection resistance for its weight that is ideal for a variety of applications.
A polyester gel-coat surface finish gives the sheet the same UV stability as our standard sheet and 2/2 twill 3k carbon fibre fabric give the sheet the strength and unmistakable appearance of genuine carbon fibre. High performance woven E-glass and a glossy black gel coat give an attractive appearance to the reverse side of the panel making it quite suitable for applications where both sides will be seen (though where only one side needs the carbon fibre finish). The entire sheet is cured in a vacuum press to bond the three elements of the panel together to create a single high performance sheet.
Advantages
- Very light weight construction for maximum stiffness.
- The polyester gel-coat used for the surface of the sheet is very UV resistant and protects the sheet from discolouration caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight.
- The gel-coat surface allows fine scratches to be polished out ensuring that the sheet can be kept looking its best.
- Easy to cut and shape.
Considerations
- Because the sheet is manufactured using dry carbon fabric some distortion of the weave pattern will always occur during production.
- The strength of the panel is not comparable to that of a solid 4mm sheet (which would weight 3 times more than this panel).
Products and tools mentioned in this guide