New possibilities in rc model building with shaped carbon rod technology

New possibilities in rc model building with shaped carbon rod technology

Which material to choose for Your next indoor rc plane?

Few years ago the only choice of building material was depron with some very rare exceptions (for example, Alexey Lantsov who seems never used foam for his models). According to today’s tendencies, F3P schedules get more are more complex, competitions get tougher. Model’s lightness and precision become key issues. And it doesn’t matter which class of indoor rc planes will You focus on – F3P pattern, aeromusicals or even fun flying – modellers give priority to the carbon fiber rods covered with mylar film for their models over the depron for some time already. The result of such choice is obvious – very light, durable plane model with outstanding flight characteristics. Nearly 90% of all F3P pattern models used in Strasbourg F3P competition, 2016, were made of carbon rods with mylar covering. The winner of the F3P-AM (aeromusical) class in 2016 World Air Games Donatas Pauzuolis was also flying carbon Arrow CS plane. Today Carbon fiber changes rules even in F1D super light indoor models world.

Despite its evident advantages, carbon rod construction has its downsides:

  • Available standard carbon rods are only straight. You need to bend it in order to achieve curved shapes. Bended rods tend to return to their initial form and to distort designed shape of the construction. Even additional reinforcement and central tube can hardly help to maintain straight surfaces.
  • Standard carbon rods can be bent only at relatively large radiuses and that restricts design possibilities. Probably that’s why nearly all carbon indoor models look very similar to each other.
  • Small radiuses are not possible and should be replaced by corners where two pieces of rod are glued together thus adding weight and weakening the whole construction.

Few years ago Kimmo Kaukoranta from Finland F3P team started using shaped carbon rods produced in silicone tube mold out of carbon rowing and resin. This was an excellent decision allowing to achieve nice shapes. Unfortunately, it was still impossible to produce diameters smaller than 0,8mm with proper density of carbon fiber inside the rod, so these where less strong than factory produced straight rods, and heavier comparing to 0,5mm diameter rods.

Here we would like to present You shaped carbon rods which open new indoor rc plane model’s building (F3P, Aeromusicals, Fun fly, F1D, Micro) possibilities! Now we are able to produce diameters down to 0,5mm with the same carbon density as standard high quality factory produced carbon rods. Technical properties like weight and strength are very similar to factory produced ones. Bending radiuses down to 1,5mm with linear length of each piece up to 850 mm. That opens a set of new possibilities:

  • Almost any shape can be created. Carbon rc plane’s design is no longer restricted by material and depends only on the creativity of a constructor.
  • Total construction is lighter and more precise. All rods in the assembly are in their initial shape. There are no additional tensioned rods inside the construction; therefore less reinforcement is needed (even central tube is unnecessary).
  • Assembling is much easier. All surfaces remain perfectly flat and this increases the quality of a model and its flight characteristics.
  • Less joins and more rigid construction.
  • New possibilities for micro rc models and F1D.

We offer new service for custom carbon parts manufacturing. In order to produce difficult rounded parts we will need exact drawing of your model in  digital format, we can send you replicated parts in requested  carbon diameters and quantities. Here are spec’s and price of materials we produce:

Kainos

Contact us if You have more questions regarding shaped carbon rods possibilities.

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