Most frame manufacturers build frames with sheets of carbon fibre that is pre impregnated with uncured resin better known as pre preg applied to a non stick paper backing and shipped on large.
Carbon fibre bicycle frame manufacturing process.
Resin transfer rtm or fillament winding method used in lugged construction where pre formed carbon tubes are bonded to internal or external lugs see.
Manufacturing processes vary greatly between companies and even by model but most composite bikes are made by arranging small strips right of carbon around a solid core inside a mold far.
Not all carbon is created equal.
Lugged frame construction and are held in place with glue.
Just as important as the carbon we select is the fiber orientation or layup schedule development which is how the carbon is wrapped or placed on the frame.
Commonly the lug material is now also a carbon fiber composite.
Before manufacturing begins we select the specific fibers resins and weaves for each bike.
1 it takes 5 000 to 12 000 carbon filaments each between five and seven micrometers thick to make a single carbon fibre.
Here s a condensed version of the step by step process.
When it comes to raw materials a very small percentage of bike builders use a rtm resin transfer mold based system where dry carbon fiber is injected with resin during the actual molding process.
The higher the quality the thinner the filament.