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DIY For Audio
Honeycomb, Carbon Fibre and composites for flat panel speaker building: help required please
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<blockquote data-quote="Air" data-source="post: 1108061" data-attributes="member: 15182"><p>Hi Sarel, I am busy with my 3rd iteration of a design in composite material. My advice based on my experience is to get your design up and running with conventional material, probably mdf and then when you are sure you have all boxes ticked by all means translate t then to a composite structure. Vivid audio did the same, basic traditional material first.</p><p></p><p>If you going to do a composite structure, get the mould 100% correct and this in my world means to machine it from aluminium first. This way you get the correct tolerances and a great finish. You can also make sure there is as little trimming as possible needed on the final moulded structure. Trimming is both expensive and not so easy with carbon and a Nomex honeycomb core. Not very accurate. A good mould would incorporate all cut out for drivers, port etc. This is for example is my mould for the port. I can customise it depending on the speaker.</p><p></p><p>As for the layup(carbon and whether it would be unidirectional, woven and the density or Glas or Kevlar etc), you need to decide the format and the core material. Nomex honeycomb, that I used is very expensive and not always readily available in small supplies. Foam might have better damping at the cost of rigidity but increasing the core could once again offset that problem. I would not rule out Balsa as a core as well if the radii is not to much and only bend in 2 directions. Carbon don't work well with tight corners as well so keep those radii friendly.</p><p></p><p>A vacuum-bag and an autoclave produce the best results for sure but once again it increases the cost.</p><p></p><p>In the end it depends on whether this project is a once-off or a tooling for a short or long production lineup. Also be clear on your design goals. Ask yourself the question, why would you like a Carbon structure and answered that with absolute clarity. If you plan to build one, I would not go this route but rather skin the cat in the other ways possible. Getting and holding the attention of experienced suppliers are tough... doing it yourself.. not so if the structure is large like a speaker</p><p></p><p>Hope these random thoughts based on my journey of 8 years or more helps</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Air, post: 1108061, member: 15182"] Hi Sarel, I am busy with my 3rd iteration of a design in composite material. My advice based on my experience is to get your design up and running with conventional material, probably mdf and then when you are sure you have all boxes ticked by all means translate t then to a composite structure. Vivid audio did the same, basic traditional material first. If you going to do a composite structure, get the mould 100% correct and this in my world means to machine it from aluminium first. This way you get the correct tolerances and a great finish. You can also make sure there is as little trimming as possible needed on the final moulded structure. Trimming is both expensive and not so easy with carbon and a Nomex honeycomb core. Not very accurate. A good mould would incorporate all cut out for drivers, port etc. This is for example is my mould for the port. I can customise it depending on the speaker. As for the layup(carbon and whether it would be unidirectional, woven and the density or Glas or Kevlar etc), you need to decide the format and the core material. Nomex honeycomb, that I used is very expensive and not always readily available in small supplies. Foam might have better damping at the cost of rigidity but increasing the core could once again offset that problem. I would not rule out Balsa as a core as well if the radii is not to much and only bend in 2 directions. Carbon don't work well with tight corners as well so keep those radii friendly. A vacuum-bag and an autoclave produce the best results for sure but once again it increases the cost. In the end it depends on whether this project is a once-off or a tooling for a short or long production lineup. Also be clear on your design goals. Ask yourself the question, why would you like a Carbon structure and answered that with absolute clarity. If you plan to build one, I would not go this route but rather skin the cat in the other ways possible. Getting and holding the attention of experienced suppliers are tough... doing it yourself.. not so if the structure is large like a speaker Hope these random thoughts based on my journey of 8 years or more helps [/QUOTE]
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Honeycomb, Carbon Fibre and composites for flat panel speaker building: help required please
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