The following are some principles to follow for the structural design of carbon fiber composite products:
– Uniform Wall Thickness Principle: Whether adopting the filament winding molding process or the compression molding process, the fiber unidirectional plate is first wrapped around a specific molding mold and then subjected to high-temperature shaping. Theory and practice have demonstrated that maintaining the continuity of fiber filaments during the winding process is critical, as it directly impacts the mechanical properties of the product after high-temperature setting. To ensure fiber continuity, adjacent side walls should adhere to the uniform wall thickness principle in the structural component design. This ensures that fibers in each independent layer remain unbroken, allowing stress energy to be evenly distributed across the entire structural component. This prevents localized stress damage and enhances overall mechanical performance.
– Equal Strength Principle: Carbon fiber composite materials are anisotropic. Even with quasi-orthogonal isotropic layer design, the mechanical properties along the fiber layer direction are significantly superior to those perpendicular to the layer direction. Therefore, structural design cannot fully replicate traditional metal component design methods. Instead, structural strengthening must be implemented to enhance strength perpendicular to the layer direction, ensuring equal strength across the entire structure.
– Easy Demolding Principle: Carbon fiber composite products are typically manufactured through mold forming, which involves demolding between the product and the mold. Incorporating considerations for demolding performance during the structural design phase can improve product yield and overall performance. Practice has shown that design methods commonly used in metal castings, such as appropriate draft angles, chamfers, and smooth side wall transitions, can enhance the demolding performance of carbon fiber composite products.
