Lexus LF-A: The Long and Winding Road
- Thread starter YSSMAN
- 794 comments
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- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Heh. That's cool. I'll bet we see a lot more of those in the future. :3
There are other machines like it, but they only work one strand at a time. This one is whole buncha at once, and, I'd think, would be a key to CFRP being a bit less expensive.
That's Manufacturing. :3
There are other machines like it, but they only work one strand at a time. This one is whole buncha at once, and, I'd think, would be a key to CFRP being a bit less expensive.
That's Manufacturing. :3
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Yet. Nicky, If you had to choose between five of those million-dollar machines, with one operator at, oh, say, $40,000 a year, over ten or twenty workers, working at 40,000 a year, EACH, Including sick days, Vacation, breaks, and medical and retirement coverage on top of that...
Well, eventually, the machines would pay for themselves. And, as demand increases, you'll need more of those weavers, more operators...
Well, eventually, the machines would pay for themselves. And, as demand increases, you'll need more of those weavers, more operators...
- 23,800
- Philippines
The carbon fiber itself is tres, tres expensif.
And unless you're using carbon fiber, you won't need such a loom.
And producing carbon fiber pieces on a loom doesn't replace that many workers... it just replaces the ones who hand-lay carbon-fiber... probably brings the production cost of a half-million dollar exotic down to about $400k...
...but doesn't mean much for the regular consumer... yet.
There are other possible ways of mass producing CF parts that don't require complicated machines that can only weave parts at a slow rate... I particularly like dry carbon stamping, myself.
And unless you're using carbon fiber, you won't need such a loom.
And producing carbon fiber pieces on a loom doesn't replace that many workers... it just replaces the ones who hand-lay carbon-fiber... probably brings the production cost of a half-million dollar exotic down to about $400k...
...but doesn't mean much for the regular consumer... yet.There are other possible ways of mass producing CF parts that don't require complicated machines that can only weave parts at a slow rate... I particularly like dry carbon stamping, myself.
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
I know this, but you've gotta consider the structure the engineers might be going for. The actual Carbon isn't that expensive, either, not as expensive as the resin (Carbon being one of the most abundant elements on Earth, and graphite relatively easy to make,) But the only real new thing with this loom is the use of multiple CF strands. There's been machines for years that wrap an epoxy-coated strand of CF around a mandrel...I forget the exact name of the process, but it's used for CF tanks.
As well, with the prepreg sheets that are typically used in hand lay-up, they still have to be stored in a special state because of the epoxy. That means higher inventory costs. This process puts the resin on the carbon as it goes on. I think this "loom-weaving" is a useful process, especially as it eventually gets more accurate and faster.
As well, with the prepreg sheets that are typically used in hand lay-up, they still have to be stored in a special state because of the epoxy. That means higher inventory costs. This process puts the resin on the carbon as it goes on. I think this "loom-weaving" is a useful process, especially as it eventually gets more accurate and faster.
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- 38,987
- Application hell
- MP-Omnis
The carbon fiber itself is tres, tres expensif.
And unless you're using carbon fiber, you won't need such a loom.
And producing carbon fiber pieces on a loom doesn't replace that many workers... it just replaces the ones who hand-lay carbon-fiber... probably brings the production cost of a half-million dollar exotic down to about $400k...
There are other possible ways of mass producing CF parts that don't require complicated machines that can only weave parts at a slow rate... I particularly like dry carbon stamping, myself.
Yeah but does that twist-laid fiber have more rigidity in more dimensions than just a square weave pressed into whatever shape?
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Ah, here we are. This is kinda what the loom process is based on.
- 975
- Seattle
- BayConRong
I though this was interesting and pertains to this conversation.
direct link: http://editorial.autos.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=1101451#11
MSN News
direct link: http://editorial.autos.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=1101451#11
- 7,313
- Land of the smelly onion
So apparently this car is lease only in the US. There will be an option to buy after the lease is up though.
$375k is a little steep for a 2 year lease.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/lexus-will-only-offer-the-lfa-for-lease.html
$375k is a little steep for a 2 year lease.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/lexus-will-only-offer-the-lfa-for-lease.html
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Not a bad way to fend off speculators, though.
- 10,838
- Belgium
- bramturismo
There's a guy on DeviantART that has done some rendering on an LF-A SuperGT car:
http://the-ic.deviantart.com/art/SuperGT-2011-Lexus-LFA-WIP2-144384542
That Sard LF-A looks pretty epic 👍
http://the-ic.deviantart.com/art/SuperGT-2011-Lexus-LFA-WIP2-144384542
That Sard LF-A looks pretty epic 👍
- 9,884
- Carthage, TN
- race_emhard
the 0-60 MPH time of the Lexus LFA was what again?
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- 9,884
- Carthage, TN
- race_emhard
Mph
- 9,884
- Carthage, TN
- race_emhard
- 9,058
- Murica
- BasedAckbar
I wish my car can go that fast.
mafia_boy
(Banned)
- 5,570
- GTP_Mafiaboy
- 5,481
- Seattle, WA
- RykonZero
It's %60.
The speed of light.
The speed of light.
