Carbon Fiber Waterjet Cutting custom parts Canada

Carbon fiber is a high-performance material made from thin fibers of carbon, usually combined with a polymer resin to form a composite. The manufacturing process involves heating a precursor material, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN), to extremely high temperatures in an inert atmosphere, a process known as carbonization. The resulting fibers are then woven or oriented into specific patterns and bonded with resins like epoxy to form composite materials. Carbon fiber is widely used in industries like aerospace, automotive, sports equipment, and construction, particularly for applications requiring a combination of high strength, low weight, and resistance to fatigue. Common products include aircraft parts, automotive body panels, bicycle frames, sports equipment like tennis rackets, and even architectural structures.

The advantages of carbon fiber include its extremely high strength-to-weight ratio, stiffness, and fatigue resistance, making it ideal for applications that demand durability while keeping weight low. It also offers excellent resistance to corrosion and thermal expansion, making it suitable for harsh environments. However, carbon fiber has some drawbacks: it is relatively expensive due to the complex manufacturing process and raw material costs. It can also be brittle, especially under certain stress conditions, and may fail suddenly without significant deformation. Additionally, carbon fiber composites can be difficult to repair and are not as easily recycled as some other materials. Despite these challenges, carbon fiber remains a go-to material for high-performance applications where weight reduction and strength are critical.