Aptera Reboot - Improved

[freebeard]

Aptera is going from being a Made in 'Murica solar car to being an Italian supercar.

Aptera is a carbon fiber supercar that you can actually afford

This contains pointers to two or three other relevant Youtube videos.

They're putting prepreg sheets in a massive press. But instead of layering the sheets they are separate components bonded together.

edit: Recommended at the end of the above:

Aptera's evolution from sandwich core composite to forged carbon fiber

It's not woven carbon fiber, but felted or something. There's talk of tows and bundling. ???

It sound like bundles of the six components will be shipped for local assembly.

[Piotrsko]

Kinda an old technique in fiberglass. Supposed to increase some properties. Does make corners and assembly of stratus easier.

[freebeard]

Do it your own self:

Make Forged Carbon Fibre Parts Using Compression Moulding

Makes you wonder what graphene tow would do.

[Piotrsko]

Which direction? With grain really strong crossgrain not so much.

[freebeard]

¯\_ (ツ)_/¯

edit:
they show the tows squashed at random, but I don't see why there couldn't be a layer to induce anisotropy.

Here's Sandy Munro on Aptera and the others:
Sandy Munro says Nikola, Aptera & CyberTruck are solid - plus other thoughts - Exclusive Interview

[Snax]

Issues with shattering are really non-existent with the BMW i3 however. I believe they used a combination of layered weave and matting for the space frame. I've never seen significant accident damage to that part of the car.

I think a lot of the bad rep with CF fragility has come from exercises in having the bare minimum of weight as a design goal. Built to a higher standard however, it can still be both lighter than and stronger than steel.

[freebeard]

All I know is Malcom Maclaren won't use it for wheels. And people keep lists:

forums.autosport.com/topic/185990-broken-or-heavily-damaged-carbon-fibre-monocoque/

[rmay635703]

If they can automate fiber or develop moldings they would be ahead.
Carbon fiber was originally supposed to be cheaper than steel but no one has automated the process enough

Italian Supercar is disappointing since that will be hand made.

[redpoint5]

I've tried to work with fiberglass, and everything is insanely expensive. If my project magically assembled itself, it would be super expensive. I don't know why glass mat and resin costs so much.

Fiberglass is the devil. Impossible to work with unless one is a wizard. I imagine CF is similarly impossible.

Machines will do it better than humans one day, because that's what we make machines to do.

[freebeard]

Fiberglass is the devil. Impossible to work with unless one is a wizard.

Said wizard might chop it up and 3D print or injetion mold it. #593 or carbon infused nylon.

https://www.matterhackers.com › store › 3d-printer-filament › nylonx-carbon-fiber-nylon-filament-1.75mm
NylonX Carbon Fiber Filament - 1.75mm (0.5kg) | MatterHackers
NylonX is an engineering grade nylon filament which is blended with chopped carbon fibers (approximately 20% by weight), creating a high-strength filament capable of printing tough, shatter-resistant, functional parts. NylonX is the perfect blend of strength and durability; If you are already printing with nylon it's time to upgrade.