There are plenty of industries that rely on custom parts, and many need these parts to meet high specifications. Carbon fiber has proven itself one of the best options for a range of applications.
More companies are turning to custom carbon fiber parts due to the many benefits it offers. As manufacturing technologies continue to improve, so too does the quality and accuracy of these parts.
In this guide, we’ll explain why carbon fiber production is constantly becoming more popular. Keep reading for more.
Strength and Stiffness
Perhaps the most well-known benefit of carbon fiber is its high strength. When suspended inside an epoxy resin, carbon fiber parts are incredibly strong and stiff, which is ideal in a range of applications.
Weight
In many cases, a stronger material means more weight, but that’s not the case here. Carbon fiber is very lightweight, which makes it perfect for the aerospace industry.
A carbon fiber part weighs around a tenth of what the same part would weigh when made from steel. This is great for fuel economy in vehicles, making it very popular for sports cars.
Versatility
With modern manufacturing technologies, parts can be made for a wide range of uses. At SMI Composites, we produce carbon fiber parts using autoclave curing, out-of-autoclave curing, bladder molding, cast molding, and compression molding. This lets us produce complex and varied parts with ease.
Unlike many other manufacturers, we also produce all of our tools in-house. This gives us an exceptional degree of quality control over all the parts that we manufacture.
Durability
On top of having exceptional strength, carbon fiber is corrosion-resistant. As such, it can be used in a range of environments without the worry of rust.
Heat and Chemical Resistance
Carbon fiber is excellent at withstanding extreme temperatures and chemical exposure, further adding to its suitability in different environments and applications. High levels of heat won’t make parts warp, and many chemicals won’t react with them and cause them to degrade in any way.
The one weakness here is that it’s vulnerable to UV exposure. With a suitable coating, however, this can be dealt with, and a carbon fiber part can withstand exposure to direct sunlight for years.
Malleability
When formed, carbon fiber parts can be very solid. During the manufacturing process, however, the material is highly flexible and malleable. It can, therefore, be formed into complex and diverse parts that are suitable for different applications.
Appearance
Aside from all the physical properties that make carbon fiber useful, many people simply prefer how it looks. A lot of high-end vehicles have carbon fiber bodywork because of this. It’s even fairly common for items made from other materials to have a carbon fiber appearance due to its popularity.
Custom Carbon Fiber Parts
Whether it’s vehicle components, medical devices, aircraft parts, or anything else, carbon fiber is one of the best materials for all kinds of uses. SMI Composites can produce some of the highest quality custom carbon fiber parts available.
SMI was even awarded the Supplier of the Year award in 2021 by the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Get your free quote from us today.
