Sleeving/Stiffening Existing Carbon Fiber Tubes

[lookforjack]

 

Hello,

I have a defection problem with a tool that was designed and built around 2009 which utilized some carbon fiber tubes that APC provided for us.

I would like to find a possible solution that would allow us to sleeve these tubes internally to stiffen them up as much as possible with either a thick tube or solid rod.

Removing the tubes is not an option as they are glued into some aluminum mounting brackets. 

I'm looking for something simple that will allow us to fix the problem without removing this backbone assembly.

Regards,

Jack

[lo_0l]

3 minutes ago, lookforjack said:

 

Hello,

I have a defection problem with a tool that was designed and built around 2009 which utilized some carbon fiber tubes that APC provided for us.

I would like to find a possible solution that would allow us to sleeve these tubes internally to stiffen them up as much as possible with either a thick tube or solid rod.

Removing the tubes is not an option as they are glued into some aluminum mounting brackets. 

I'm looking for something simple that will allow us to fix the problem without removing this backbone assembly.

Regards,

Jack

Hi Jack,

Welcome to Composites Community! That sounds doable. But it depends. What's happening with the existing tubes? Do you have any pictures?

 

[lookforjack]

We have robot mounted tool for directing high energy laser pulses to parts for a process called laser shot peening. 

There are some pretty heavy gimbals mounted on both ends of the backbone 20lbs and 25lbs, that are causing a small defection of the tubes that we can detect on a camera inside the tool using an alignment laser beam. It's not a lot of deflection around 4-5mmm on a double pass. Meaning the light runs down the length of the tool and back. around 10 feet total distance to the camera. This movement messes with our tool's calibration.

The defection is at its worst when the tool is held horizontally. Which makes sense as the tool is mounted close to center mass. 

I've attached a picture of a backbone like the one mounted on our tool. This one was removed and replaced with another one that had thicker tubes glued into those aluminum mounting brackets.

Suggestions have been to insert a solid rod or pouring an epoxy inside and caping it off to prevent outgassing onto optics in the tool.

We want it to be as stiff as possible.

Regards.

 

 

 

 

[lo_0l]

5 hours ago, lookforjack said:

We have robot mounted tool for directing high energy laser pulses to parts for a process called laser shot peening. 

There are some pretty heavy gimbals mounted on both ends of the backbone 20lbs and 25lbs, that are causing a small defection of the tubes that we can detect on a camera inside the tool using an alignment laser beam. It's not a lot of deflection around 4-5mmm on a double pass. Meaning the light runs down the length of the tool and back. around 10 feet total distance to the camera. This movement messes with our tool's calibration.

The defection is at its worst when the tool is held horizontally. Which makes sense as the tool is mounted close to center mass. 

I've attached a picture of a backbone like the one mounted on our tool. This one was removed and replaced with another one that had thicker tubes glued into those aluminum mounting brackets.

Suggestions have been to insert a solid rod or pouring an epoxy inside and caping it off to prevent outgassing onto optics in the tool.

We want it to be as stiff as possible.

Regards.

 

 

 

 

Adding another tube inside sounds like a good option in theory. Offhand, pouring in epoxy doesn't sound like a good way to go. Epoxy itself doesn't provide much stiffness. Think of a plastic rod, it'd bend a lot over 10' from its weight alone. Adding more weight without more stiffness would make the problem you're having worse.

Is there a weight limit that you need to adhere to?

Are you trying to minimize down time or cost?

What about salvaging the old aluminum pieces pictured and bonding in new tubes? 

[lookforjack]

Trying to minimize both down time and cost. But mainly down time.

I could make a new backbone and replace it. That's how I have the one I pictured. It was from an old project and not in use at the time.

Unfortunately, the one we are wanting to stiffen up is in use daily.

[lo_0l]

On 6/11/2024 at 6:29 PM, lookforjack said:

Trying to minimize both down time and cost. But mainly down time.

I could make a new backbone and replace it. That's how I have the one I pictured. It was from an old project and not in use at the time.

Unfortunately, the one we are wanting to stiffen up is in use daily.

Apologies @lookforjack, my previous reply didn't make it over for some reason.

I think you'd have down time anyways. My concern would be doing this in situ might be quite difficult. If it were me, I'd probably disassemble the old one and make a new one with better tubes.

Is this something you're going to do yourself?