Audi Pole2Pole

I know it has been awhile since my last update, but I am proud to say that I have been dedicating my time wisely. I have finished my thesis and it is now in digital format on the North Carolina State University's Electronic Thesis and Dissertations (ETD) website! The title is "Analysis of Directed Fiber Placement using Air Laying Using Air Laying Technique", it basically covers a novel technique to create controlled alignment of fibers in a nonwoven using only air. These nonwoven mats have the potential to be used as composite preforms in weight reduction applications.

Now that we have caught up, lets move on to the subject of interest! Audi announced a partnership with adventurer Johan Ernst Nilson for a year long journey from the North Pole to the South Pole (around 12,000 miles!). The reason why it is scheduled to take an entire year is because this adventure will be done in a carbon-neutral manner, meaning he CANNOT USE A VEHICLE.

This expedition will consist of several legs, the first of which starts at the North Pole to the northeastern tip of Greenland and will be covered using skis and a sled. Nilson will cross North, Central and South America by bicycle and sail from Patagonia to the Antarctic. The last leg of his journey across the icy plains to the South Pole will be traversed using skis being pulled by a kite-sail.

Nilson has been able to test out his gear under extreme conditions in Audi's Wind Tunnel and cold chamber. Audi has designed and fabricated a super-lightweight carbon fiber sled for Nilson's adventure will provide an Audi Q5 as a expedition car and camera team transport to follow his progress.

Although this appears to be a very lavish PR stunt to promote the capabilities of the Audi's line of SUVs, this may also serve as a real world test for certain materials. For example, Nilson will rely on this custom sled designed and built by Audi to transport his supplies across the icy fields of the Antarctic. This provides an excellent test for carbon fiber in real world -40 degree F environments with load and abrasion. In order for Nilson to cross North, South and Central Americas on a bicycle, he will be averaging 62 miles a day. I will bet my dog (and I REALLY like my dog) that his bike will be constructed from carbon fiber composites. Essentially, I hope that this adventure provides some useful knowledge about environmental effects on materials.

By taking solely a materials view on this story, it supports my previous post pertaining to traversing the gap between industries with composites. If you take the final application out of the equation, the requirements for the material or composite could be the same in two different markets. The outcome of the materials used during this journey could help the direction of materials used by Audi in the future.

I truly admire what Audi is doing, promoting expeditions and focusing on the environment. There has been an increase in "get outside and see something" type of marketing lately (just saying, the new Ford Explorer) and I am completely behind that. I look forward to hearing more about this journey and I wish Nilson the best of luck! If you want to read more about this click here.

Versatility of Composites

How can composites, more directly "automotive" composites, relate to different industries and markets outside the automotive realm? In order to answer this conundrum one must take a step back and view the big picture of composites and materials in general.

Popular materials such as carbon fiber reinforced composites or even bicomponent fibers were at one point highly guarded secrets hidden in vaults surrounded by laser security systems stashed hundreds of feet underground. Well, I may have over exaggerated, but you get the idea. Extended Polytetrafluoroethylene was originally used to coat piping used in the Manhattan Project to protect from corrosion, for goodness sakes, and now you can find it in almost every kitchen and it goes by the name Teflon. Carbon fiber reinforced composites went through years of military and aerospace testing, being used for small components (such as rudders) before being widely known. Now carbon fiber composites can be seen in bicycle frames, shoe soles, tennis rackets and golf clubs. Same with Kevlar, which was first developed into ballistics protection and as a replacement for the steel in radial tires, it can now be found in consumer products such as high strength tow ropes or bike/motorcycle riding apparel.

What is the reasoning behind all of this inter-industry material usage? Simple....common interests.

I do not believe that chefs wanted to be able to withstand nuclear radiation, they simply didn't want their morning omelettes to stick. Many industries are in the market for similar product features which can be found in materials used by other industries. Carbon fiber reinforced composites are becoming increasingly popular in the automotive field because of their weight reduction capabilities while at the same time retaining strength and dimensional stability. Weight reduction design perspectives can also be found in say the athletic apparel industry where a fraction of a second can be the difference between a "W" and a long quiet bus ride home. When interest of a specific product increases, production volumes increase, ultimately decreasing cost.

The starting point of any new revolutionary material is the financial backing. In an industry where single units cost millions of dollars (cough* aerospace *cough), price really is not an option. These markets are the gateways into future, affordable materials. This is why I believe it is important to keep an open mind about materials and composites, because you never know which market they will pop up in next. Ultimately, thanks to research in process efficiency and advances in manufacturing technology, this "trickle down" effect through diverse markets, can occur. Meaning, new manufacturing techniques may develop a way to produce an extremely expensive fiber cheaper, making that fiber more appealing to a market that is more cost aware. So, next time you fasten that Velcro strap on your jacket, just think, it got its first big break on an astronaut's space suit...