Research

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Goal/Thesis

blah blah blah

Design Process

Blah blah blahThe purpose of this research project is to investigate the effectiveness and viability of composite chassis components through the design and implementation of structural “sandwich” panels. These will be pursued for an increased strength-to-weight ratio as well as higher stiffness as compared to a conventional tubular frame.

Design Process

To start, the design of the structural “sandwich” panel is achieved by utilizing two outer carbon fiber layers and inserting a core structure between them, typically with aluminum honeycomb, foam, or Nomex.

Each carbon fiber layer is created by using multiple carbon fiber lamina at different orientations to create a laminate, bonded together with epoxy resin. The orientation stacking of the carbon fiber lamina is to maximize material properties in multiple directions, in order to retain high stiffness and low deformation properties in a multitude of loading situations.

Additionally, the core material of the panel is utilized to effectively transfer loads across the entire of area of the carbon fiber panel, resist shear loads across the panels

Manufacturing Process

To manufacture the… blah blah blah

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