Carbon Fibre frame construction training?? help!

[BikeFx]

So im getting to the age now (18) where i soon have to work out what it is i want to do in my life. one thing which really interests me is the properties of carbon fibre and in particular, how it is used on bikes and as bike frames, i have a pretty good idea of how frames are constructed and how carbon (or other materials) are used in the production process on bikes. but ive been searching around for a while now trying to find out how to tap into this industry but with no definative results, so i thought id ask the rotorburn community for some help. i guess my question is, how do you gain the qualifications and training needed to create frames with carbon fibre? or just create carbon fibre products in general? do you have to do a sort of trade course or an engineering type course? im really quite lost at the moment and any help would be really appreciated.
Jono

 

[muskimo]

i guess 90% of it would be like NIKE say "JUST DO IT"

i think more so it would be an idea to get in contact with manufacturers...and these days its more or less all coming out of Taiwan.

but try bike companies that deal in carbon more than others if thats the dedicated area you want. remember you will have to start somewhere, so you may have to start constructing alloy or chromo....

or is it the design side of things you want to do? draw up bike designs, and "engineer" frames....?

 

[andrew_o]

I am not 100% sure if this would put ya in the direction but I think composite technician could be your first step.

 

[Steve-0]

When i was researching Aerospace engineering, a few courses had the option of specializing in carbon fiber technology. I'm guessing an Aerospace engineering or some other form of engineering course would end up learning about it.

I know a fella that made carbon bikes for fun, He was self taught and i think he scored a job with a aeronautical company making carbon parts for planes and helicopters. He was sent to Europe to be officially trained.

If that's exactly what you want to do.. I'd call up a place that makes carbon fiber products and ask for a chat with a manager or something, Learn from those that know, but i think it'd be worth looking into aerospace engineering and then moving onto bikes. Very high paying jobs all over the world with that kind of training.

 

[BikeFx]

Thankyou so much for the help, I think mainly I want to work with carbon fibre as a material and creating random products, but I guess it has to lead somewhere so incorporating it into frame design/construction would be great. But I guess that would mean I'd have to start with alloy frames and learn the ways of carbon fibre later on to incorporate that into what I would then know. If that makes sense? I hope that helps a bit more.

 

[BikeFx]

If that's exactly what you want to do.. I'd call up a place that makes carbon fiber products and ask for a chat with a manager or something, Learn from those that know, but i think it'd be worth looking into aerospace engineering and then moving onto bikes. Very high paying jobs all over the world with that kind of training.

thanks for the really good advice, I work in a bike shop on the weekends and from memory, my boss sent off a cracked road bike frame to a specialist not far away to get it repaired, I'll definately have a look at contacting them.

 

[muskimo]

my brother made a few carbon parts for his buell few years back, just used Styrofoam blocks to shape his part, then went from there, dont know his exact process, but didnt take him long.
he made;
front wheel hugger
rear wheel hugger
intake pipe, and intake filter cover
fender eliminator

they all turned out pretty funky, and by funky i mean very nice