Laser cut carbon fiber?

[ANGRY-ALIEN]

Hi guys,

I'm currently working on a little project with Carbon Fiber that will require some custom cuts (a chassis to be specific) and the only 'CNC machine' I may have access to, is a 120 watt laser.

I would like to know your person experiences with this method of cutting... The pros and cons. The Carbon is 4.3mm think and they are quite a few detailed cuts for upper and lower plates.

Any help will be appreciated

Alien

[suicideneil]

Lazer cuts tend to be more precise due to the smaller cutting 'tool' diameter, though what thickness you can do is another question. I would suggest doing some test cuts of various intricate shapes on a scrap piece of material to see if it leaves a clean finish/edge like you desire. One thought is that the heat of the lazer will either leave a nice clean edge that seels itself, so is less prone to splintering, or it may leave a slightly singed edge- only one way to find out, unless there are websites that offer the same service so could advice you on what to expect.

[ANGRY-ALIEN]

Hey Neil, thanks for the suggestions man... I will get some tests done to see how the Carbon reacts to the laser.

Alien

[Ryu James]

Originally Posted by ANGRY-ALIEN

Hey Neil, thanks for the suggestions man... I will get some tests done to see how the Carbon reacts to the laser.

Alien

hey dude,
DONT USE LAZER TO CUT CARBON. i have been building some custom carbon chassis over the past few months and i initially tried laser to cut them out as it was going to save me money. the cuts were straight and everything but what happens is the laser melted the epoxy ever so slightly along every cut made. this caused the fabric to be frayed really bad along every cut and the the part looked like shit. also, the frayed fabric gets in your skin like fiberglass and is horrible to try to work with after that.

i just use a CNC shop to cut all my carbon now and it is 10x better. save yourself the trouble. idk, i have heard of people using laser to cut carbon successfully so i dont know if the piece i had cut was inferior or what but since then i have used the same carbon cut on the CNC for my 1/8 brushless truggies and have been racing with them for weeks without any issues. and this is only 3mm carbon so i would say it is decent carbon to hold up to the abuse i have given it.

pm me if you have any other questions. i have been working with custom carbon stuff for the past 6 months and can maybe help you out with any more questions.

[lutach]

Has anyone thought about waterjet?

[ANGRY-ALIEN]

Originally Posted by Ryu James

hey dude,
DONT USE LAZER TO CUT CARBON. i have been building some custom carbon chassis over the past few months and i initially tried laser to cut them out as it was going to save me money. the cuts were straight and everything but what happens is the laser melted the epoxy ever so slightly along every cut made. this caused the fabric to be frayed really bad along every cut and the the part looked like shit. also, the frayed fabric gets in your skin like fiberglass and is horrible to try to work with after that.

i just use a CNC shop to cut all my carbon now and it is 10x better. save yourself the trouble. idk, i have heard of people using laser to cut carbon successfully so i dont know if the piece i had cut was inferior or what but since then i have used the same carbon cut on the CNC for my 1/8 brushless truggies and have been racing with them for weeks without any issues. and this is only 3mm carbon so i would say it is decent carbon to hold up to the abuse i have given it.

pm me if you have any other questions. i have been working with custom carbon stuff for the past 6 months and can maybe help you out with any more questions.

Hey Ryu, Thanks for sharing your experience man, I'll have to go search for someone here in Jamaica with the appropriate CNC machine to get this done right then...
The same company with the laser might have one. The other problem is, if I do find them, it's hard to convince the shop to try a material outside of the list they may already used for their business.

Originally Posted by lutach

Has anyone thought about waterjet?

Hi Lutach, no waterjets here so far... So that's not an option for me right now.


Alien

[suicideneil]

Very nice deisgn indeed- FLM meets GorillaMaxx. Have you seen Serum's customized FLM chassis, has a similar bottom plate design attached to the FLM braces.

[ANGRY-ALIEN]

Originally Posted by BL_RV0

That is a very pretty maxx.

Thanks BL_RVO... I can't wait to see it in carbon.

Originally Posted by suicideneil

Very nice deisgn indeed- FLM meets GorillaMaxx. Have you seen Serum's customized FLM chassis, has a similar bottom plate design attached to the FLM braces.

Hey Neil, I did see Serum's chassis, it was actually one of the four trucks I used for inspiration.... Here are the others:

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/e...ntruth/top.jpg

http://www.unlimitedengineering.com/...6/DSC00532.JPG

http://www.unlimitedengineering.com/...is2_375204.JPG


Alien

[ANGRY-ALIEN]

Update time.. The laser ( http://www.engravingsolutions.com/ext.html ) did not work so well. It started etching into the carbon,
but at the same time the epxoy melted causing the fabric to be fray (same thing Ryu James experienced).

So, for now, I'm going to be using 3/16 Lexan to build the chassis hoping it will hold up until I find another option for cutting the carbon here.

Thanks for you help guys

Alien

[lutach]

Originally Posted by ANGRY-ALIEN

Update time.. The laser ( http://www.engravingsolutions.com/ext.html ) did not work so well. It started etching into the carbon,
but at the same time the epxoy melted causing the fabric to be fray (same thing Ryu James experienced).

So, for now, I'm going to be using 3/16 Lexan to build the chassis hoping it will hold up until I find another option for cutting the carbon here.

Thanks for you help guys

Alien

There must be a place there that has a CNC machine or a water jet machine.

[ANGRY-ALIEN]

Originally Posted by lutach

There must be a place there that has a CNC machine or a water jet machine.

The shop that made the test for me does have a CNC, but it's not easy convincing them to make the cut because of the dangers with the dust and the fact they don't have the appropriate cutting tool.
I explained to them it could work if the carbon is wet and there is a vacuum source pulling the dust away.

Where Water Jets are concerned, they are none. I will find a way to cut the carbon soon... Just not by who or when.

Alien

[What's_nitro?]

Hey, no problem!

[pb4ugo]

DO NOT USE A WATERJET!!!!

I actually posted a thread some time back with sample pics of very clean cuts on CF by a waterjet. I have completely changed my opinion. I got lots of delaminating at the corners when they actually cut my chassis, and am out nearly $100 in material.

I don't have any experience with laser on CF, but it seems to me I remember reading that it doesn't work well. At least do a trial cut, and be prepared that it may do worse on the final cut than the sample.

I have quite a few years in amateur CF, including laying-up custom bent pieces. The BEST way to cut it accurately on a budget is to use a router table. Yes, a woodworking router table. Get a fiberglass router bit (available from online tool stores if not local) and cut away with your fence guides. Be sure to be wearing a mask and have the vacuum running! If you are having internal cut-outs (as your drawing shows), you can make yourself a pattern first from wood. Mount a pin the same diameter as your bit immediately above your bit in a v-notched piece of wood secured by clamps or the like to the table, and drill a pilot hole in the CF, and run the pattern using the pin against the wood as a guide. This will work just as well as a pattern-cutting router bit (which for some reason aren't available in the fiberglass variety) does on wood.

Otherwise, full cnc is the way to go.

[lutach]

Originally Posted by pb4ugo

DO NOT USE A WATERJET!!!!

I actually posted a thread some time back with sample pics of very clean cuts on CF by a waterjet. I have completely changed my opinion. I got lots of delaminating at the corners when they actually cut my chassis, and am out nearly $100 in material.

Otherwise, full cnc is the way to go.

Did the place that cut your chassis use just water or did they use any abrasive material? Here is a video that shows a nice piece of CF being cut using a water jet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI4QnWOwAys.

I do agree that cnc is the way to go.

[pb4ugo]

Originally Posted by lutach

Did the place that cut your chassis use just water or did they use any abrasive material? Here is a video that shows a nice piece of CF being cut using a water jet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI4QnWOwAys.

I do agree that cnc is the way to go.

Yes they used an abrasive slurry. It would be better without on the CF, but it is rare to find a shop that will jet a piece anymore without the slurry.