I'm writing this to open a dialogue about Direct Digital Manufacturing with Carbon Fiber. As you know making anything out of carbon fiber is very expensive because it is extremely labor intensive. I believe developing a new system of automated design and manufacture is the key to unlocking the potential of carbon fiber.
I would like to propose that the time consuming hand layup process needs to be retired and in its place pressurize air bladers and free form jigs be utilized to give structural form to EV and EVTOL vehicle chases. A process where from a raw roll of carbon fiber woven fabric material can be cut to forms. These forms can be sown together inserting rigid foam material in some places or plastic bladers in others. During this process too low-E wiring harness and sensors can be inserted. When the final soft form is completed a plastic vacuum bag is placed around the whole of the form, the form is placed in a restraining gig and the internal bladders are inflated. Now resin can be pumped in between the exterior vacuum bag and the interior compressed air bladers. You can imagine a whole assembly line of these hanging from hooks on a ceiling mounted conveyor going through a curing oven.
The end product in the skeletal structure of your vehicle. Openings for doors and windows, etc... would be cut out. That material shredded and that carbon fiber chop recycled back into the manufacture process. Carbon chop infused thermal plastic would be better used for body panels.
This is what we need to work on to move American Industry forward. This process relies heavily on utilizing the advances in computer aided design and physics engines along with robotics. I imagine a symphony of sewing robots manipulating carbon fiber car bodies in the air in these automotive factories of the future instead of the ubiquitous welding robots of today.
David Elze 631-997-503 dvdelze@gmail.com