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Amazing and useful write-up to a non-engineer audience such as myself. This is very relevant to my participation in the Local Motors LITECAR challenge (goal: re
by 6stringmerc 12y ago
Amazing and useful write-up to a non-engineer audience such as myself. This is very relevant to my participation in the Local Motors LITECAR challenge (goal: reduce curb weight significantly with developing tech for 10 year outlood) sponsored by ARPA-E. If you have any references for "materials" type people with composite experience, I'd love to have a technical partner with whom to expand on my entry and share the prize money. I can be reached through the contest site or rockstarguitaristforhire at the service of mail by the big G. My apology if this strays too much, I just really enjoyed this response and felt excited about pushing boundaries.
- damoncali 12y agoIt's been years since I worked in the industry so I don't know anyone, but I did spend a couple years designing composite structures and testing the materials. The basics of composites are learned in undergrad mechanical engineering, and you can generally apply them in real life. It's not that complicated. Where composites get tricky is in the details - de-lamination, manufacturing nits, that sort of thing. I would look at engineering schools - someone in a masters program with an interest in composites would get you quite a bit of useful knowledge. Structural composites get tricky, though. Things that are easy with metal (for example, bolting parts together) get hard with composites, and you really have to think hard or you give up all the benefits of composites when you have to engineer around their limitations.