Detailed explanation of carbon fiber tube rolling process

Roll Wrapping is an advanced process for manufacturing tubular components using carbon fiber prepreg through rolling and winding techniques. It is highly favored in multiple industries for its lightweight, high strength, and design flexibility

1、 Overview of Carbon Fiber Tube Rolling Process

The rolling process involves wrapping carbon fiber prepreg around a core mold and curing it through rolling and heating to produce tubular structures with excellent mechanical properties. This process is particularly suitable for manufacturing bicycle frames, sports equipment, and industrial pipe fittings, as it enables high-precision and consistent pipe production

Process characteristics

Lightweight: Carbon fiber pipes weigh much less than traditional metal pipes

High strength: Multi angle fiber laminates enhance compressive and torsional properties

Customization: Pipe diameter and wall thickness can be adjusted according to needs

Good surface quality: After curing, the surface is smooth and can be used directly

2、 Process flow of carbon fiber tube rolling

The process mainly includes the following steps:

1. Pre impregnated material cutting and preparation

According to the design requirements, cut the carbon fiber prepreg to an appropriate width and length, and ensure that the fiber direction meets the mechanical optimization requirements.

2. Winding and Rolling

Wrap the pre impregnated material around the core mold and apply pressure using a rolling tool to ensure that the pre impregnated material is tightly adhered and removes bubbles. The winding angle and number of layers should be adjusted according to the design requirements.

3. Curing process

Place the wound core mold in an oven or hot pressing equipment, and cure the resin by heating (usually 100 ° C to 150 ° C) to form a tubular structure. The curing time depends on the resin type and wall thickness.

4. Demoulding and precision machining

After curing is complete, remove the core mold and trim, polish or surface coat the pipe to meet the final usage requirements.

3、 Advantages and disadvantages of carbon fiber tube rolling process

Advantages

1. High efficiency: Suitable for small batch and customized production..
2. Strength optimization: Multi layer winding enhances the compressive and torsional resistance of pipes..
3. Cost effectiveness: Compared to the hot press tank process, the equipment requirements are lower..
4. Flexibility: Can produce pipes of various diameters and lengths..

Disadvantages

1. Shape restriction: mainly applicable to tubular or cylindrical components..
2. Manual dependence: The winding and rolling processes require manual operation, and accuracy depends on experience..
3. Surface defects: If the rolling is uneven, bubbles or creases may appear..

4、 Application Fields of Carbon Fiber Tube Rolling Process

This process is widely used due to its unique advantages in:

Sports equipment: such as bicycle frames, tennis racket handles, and fishing rods..

Industrial pipe fittings: such as mechanical transmission shafts and lightweight pipelines..

Aerospace: such as small drone mounts and antenna poles.

Automotive industry: such as racing exhaust pipes and suspension components..

5、 Future Development Trends

With the development of automated winding equipment and new pre impregnated materials, the carbon fiber winding process will achieve higher production efficiency and consistency. By combining intelligent monitoring and 3D modeling technology, the process will further optimize the performance of pipes and expand their applications in high-end manufacturing fields.

6、 Summary

The carbon fiber rolling process has become an important technology for manufacturing carbon fiber pipes due to its lightweight, high strength, and customization capabilities. Through the winding and rolling of pre impregnated materials, this process can produce high-quality tubular components. Although its applicability is limited by shape, it has significant advantages in fields such as sports equipment, industry, and aerospace. Future technological advancements will drive its potential to be realized in more applications.