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Ivan Cao (Deactivated)

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Ownership

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Task

Status (type “/status”)

Notes

Find the main material for the cover

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Catamaran Cover Materials/Manufacture/Assembly Concepting

Research material specifications

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Hand to Renzo by the end of the week

Clean up detailed design research

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title75% doneCOMPLETED

Check with Adrian on numbers

Manufacturing research

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Molds and Manufacturing
COMPLETED

Mold research

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Waterproofing

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Finishing

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Might not be as important EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT - DAPHNE

Item list of major and minor materials/partsparts and how they will be manufactured (roughly)

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Main material sourcing and pricing

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Foam molds

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Manufacturing research

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Infusion equipment

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Manufacturing plan

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Assistance Task List (type “/action item”)

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titleMaterial strength of Acrylic (Plexiglas), PETG 3D printed plastics.

[1] Acrylic
Yield Strength: 64.8 - 83.4 MPa (Average value: 75.4 MPa)
Young’s Modulus: 2.76 - 3.30 GPa

Flexural Modulus: 2.96 - 3.30 GPa
Flexural Yield Strength: 98.0 - 125 MPa (Average value: 109 MPa)

[2] PETG
Yield Strength: 28.3 - 58.6 MPa
Young’s Modulus: 1.10 - 20.3 GPa (Average value of 2.65 GPa)

Flexural Modulus: 1.17 - 2.76 GPa
Flexural Yield Strength: 39.2 - 88.9 MPa (Average value of 69.5 MPa)

In short, Plexiglas is a strong enough viable alternative for the side walls of the cover.

Gel-coat
Protective finishing layer for composite surfaces.
Leaves a hard smooth surface good for sticking on adhesive.
Requires sanding and buffing for a smooth surface.
If painting the cover, apply gel-coat first then paint over it.

Source:
[1] http://www.matweb.com/search/datasheet.aspx?bassnum=O1303
[2] http://www.matweb.com/search/datasheet.aspx?matguid=4de1c85bb946406a86c52b688e3810d0

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For the current cover design, a mix of both manufacturing processes is viable and is probably the best choice in terms of reducing time spent manufacturing and resources used.

Part Name

Mold and Manufacturing method

Notes

Top cover (Front)

  • No mold really required

  • Wet layup on a flat surface of glass

  • Creating a flat piece of the cover on glass provides a really smooth finish that does not need any additional sanding

  • Only one side needs to look nice

Top cover (Rear)

  • MDF mold

  • Infusion

  • Shape is pretty curved and arches backwards so MDF mold it is

Inner walls

  • Wet layup on a flat surface of glass

  • Not the main bearer of load

Front side walls

  • Wet layup on a flat surface of glass

  • Not sure if to do wet layup or infusion for the added strength because the side walls would need to support the panel on top resting on it

Rear side walls

  • MDF mold

  • Vacuum bagging infusion

  • CAD model for the wall seems too complicated to create a mold manually

Rubber seal

  • Hand cut with box cutter and a template for the exact shape

  • Laser cutting to shape

  • Send to 3rd party to manufacture

  • Few options available

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titleWaterproofing

Gasket for battery cover would be stamped out or cut out from a flat sheet of rubber to match the outline of where the cover would sit on the edges of the walls.
Neoprene is what is typically used for gaskets (synthetic rubber).


Gaskets could be manufactured by using die cutting, water-jet cutting, and laser-jet cutting.
Manufacturing could be potentially done in-house with a large enough laser cutter and a large sheet of rubber, or could potentially be made using a small blade slicing the rubber to the CADed shape.


For the seal to be effective, it should be one continuous piece that covers all openings and shall be compressed against the surface of the resting site and the cover so that small air gaps could be filled to prevent potential water from leaking.

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Assembly Detailing

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titleFiberglass/Foam core/Resin cost

Total surface area: 5.19m^2
Widest part of cover: 0.7112m
Total perimeter length: 549.18in
Required area of cloth: 23m^2 (2 layers each side plus 10% for headroom)

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Would need to order 26 yards
Priced at $11.55 per yard
Approx price: $300 (before applicable taxes and discounts)
Link: https://shop.compositescanada.com/#/product/FJ09-7725-38-LY

Foam:
One sheet of foam cut into 4 thinner sheets covers 5.946m^2

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Would need to order 1 sheet
Priced at $42.6 per sheet
Approx price: $42.60 (before applicable taxes and discounts)
Link: https://shop.compositescanada.com/#/product/U720-100-48

Resin:
Ratio by weight is 2.5:1 resin to fiberglass
Fiberglass is sold by weight per square yard
Total area 20.76m^2 or 24.83 yard squared
Total weight in cloth: 24.83*8.8oz = 218.504oz. Around 6.2kg
Would require 15.5kg (34.17lb) of mixed resin.

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titleFoam for mold

Solid insulation foams from local hardware stores are good mold making material.
Can glue multiple sheets together to increase thickness for desired mold shape.

Volume per sheet: 2304 cu. in
Front right and left wall: 182.22 cu. in
Rear right and left wall: 289.66 cu. in
Front lid: 790.32 cu. in
Rear lid: 2521.2 cu. in
Total mold volume: 4255.27 cu. in
Requires 2 sheets: $40 total

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titleManufacturing equipment

Part(s)

Cost

Supplier

Sealant tape

$7.00 per 25 foot roll ($21.00) for 3 rolls (CC sells them in cases of 40)

https://shop.compositescanada.com/#/product/VATP-AT200Y

Bagging film

$2.77/yd ($27.7) for 10 yards

https://shop.compositescanada.com/#/product/VABF-EL-60-LY

Pump

N/A

Bay

Breather 4oz

$7.60/yd ($26.6) for 3 yards

https://shop.compositescanada.com/#/product/VABR-N4-LY

Peel Ply

$7.00/yd ($35) for 5 yards

https://shop.compositescanada.com/$#/product/VAPP-ES-LY

Epoxy resin

$169.62

https://shop.compositescanada.com/#/product/AE2032-60-X


Manufacturing Plan

Wet layup process

Infusion process
Steps:

  1. Put on PPE equipment. Includes safety glasses, gloves, mask.

  2. Measure and cutout correct dimensions of fabric, foam, process materials (breather, peel ply, bagging film, sealant tape)

  3. Measure out correct amount of resin and hardener and mix

  4. Stick the perimeter with sealant tape and overlap them if needed

  5. Prep the mold surface with release agents

  6. Wet the surface of the mold with mixed resin

  7. Apply first layer of fiberglass and gently dab and brush with more resin until fully wet

  8. Place second layer of fiberglass and repeat step 6

  9. Place core material on top and continue wetting both sides of it

  10. Place the last two layers and wet them completely

  11. Layer on top a sheet of peel ply

  12. Add on breather fabric on top of peel ply

  13. Add some breather near planned placement of vacuum tube

  14. Cover the entire mold with bagging film making sure to stick them onto the sealant

  15. Check for sharp curves and adhesiveness

  16. Insert tubing and fittings around vacuum port on the bag

  17. Connect tubing to vacuum pump and turn on

  18. Adjust to 14psi and leave for several hours to cure