Ham Inc.

Memorandum

To: Leo Ham CEO of Ham Inc., and Employees of Ham Inc.

From: Benjamin Janicki, UW Sophomore in Mechanical Engineering

Subject: Carbon Fiber and the Boeing 787: The Future in Materials

Date: October 24, 2011


Introduction

The purpose of this memo is to convince the people of this company that carbon fiber
composites are going to be the dominant material in the future of manufacturing.

Boeing 787

As covered by the Los Angeles Times, Boeing's newest airplane, the long awaited carbon
fiber 787 Dreamliner is finally leaving the assembly line and entering the market. This
new airplane is projected to use 20% less fuel than current airplanes on the market, and
fly faster with more passenger comfort. These tremendous advantages are in large part
due to its carbon fiber construction. (Hennigan, 2011).

While Airbus was making the largest passenger airplane ever, the A380, Boeing was
revolutionizing the materials airplanes are built with. Though many investors were
skeptical of branching away from the traditional aluminum construction, the 787 has
proven the fastest selling airplane ever, and is projected to become the aircraft of the
future. (Covington, 2011).


The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, First Flight (Dave Sizer Photography, flickr.com).

Ham Inc.
Carbon Fiber

Von Barrie Dickinison, Director of Body Engineering, describes carbon fiber as thin
strands of carbon weaved together into various types of cloths, and hardened with resin.
Carbon fiber is stronger than many metals, and lighter then all of them. (Dickinison,
2007). This makes it an ideal material to use in airplane construction. (Covington, 2011).

Peter Janicki, CEO of Janicki Industries, a composites manufacturing company, goes
further: We know for a fact that the hardest material on the planet is a diamond. A
strand of carbon fiber is mimicking those strong carbon bonds. We wont find
something stronger than carbon fiber. We are starting with the strongest basic
bonds we can get and just arranging them in a usable fiber. (Janicki, 2011).


Carbon Fiber fabric before resin infusion (Tesla Motors, 2007)

Materials Revolution

All new technologies require research and time on the market to become competitive,
says Janicki. Metals have been the industry standard for over a century, and it is taking
some time for carbon fiber to catch on. (Janicki, 2011). Many of the delays surrounding
the 787 can be blamed on the new choice of material. (Covington, 2011).

Greg Peterson, Senior Technology Specialist at Lotus Engineering believes carbon fiber
cars are the solution to lowering carbon emissions. Lamborghini, General Motors, and
Lotus Engineering are all currently developing cars with carbon fiber bodies. (Tidwell,
2011).

Peterson states; In every aspect, lightweighting improves vehicle performance. Not
only will carbon fiber cars burn less fuel, but they will also allow more weight to be put
into heavier electric and hybrid engines. (Tidwell 2011).

Carbon fiber is also becoming a common material in sports products. According to
ICIS.com, Sporting goods and recreational equipment account for 18-20% of the carbon
fiber market. (Challenger, 2009).


Ham Inc.
Conclusion

With tremendous physical properties and a growing demand throughout the market, there
is no reason to think that carbon fiber will cease to become an important material in the
world of engineering. The demand for carbon fiber is increasing and the uses are
expanding. (Challenger, 2009). From golf clubs to windmill blades, light and strong is a
rare and needed combination.

Just as metal was the material of the 20
th
Century; carbon fiber composites are going to
be the material of the 21
st
Century. This new revolution in materials is going to change
the world of engineering on a broad and permanent level.


References

Challenger, Cynthia. (2009, Aug 18). ICIS.com.
http://www.icis.com/Articles/2009/08/18/9240951/sports-is-a-key-
market-for-carbon-fiber.html

Covington, Phil. (2011, Sep 30). Lighter and More Fuel Efficient, Boeing Delivers the
First 787 Dreamliner. http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/09/lighter-fuel-
efficient-boeing-delivers-first-787-dreamliner/

Dickinison, Von Barrie. (2007, Feb 15). Cut From a Different Cloth. Tesla Motors
Blog. http://www.teslamotors.com/de_DE/node/3841

Hennigan, W. J. (2011, Sep. 26). Boeing Delivers First 787 Dreamliner. The Los
Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/la-fi-boeing-dreamliner-
20110927,0,6179749.story

Janicki, Peter; CEO Janicki Industries (2011, Oct. 23). Interview.

Sizer, Dave. (2009, Dec 15). Dave Sizer photography. Flickr.com.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aphid00/4188983799/

Tidwell, Robert. (2011, Sep. 28). Lamborghini, GM and Lotus Engineering Offer
Vision of Carbon Fiber Car Future. News Junky Journal.
http://www.newsjunkyjournal.com/lamborghini-gm-and-lotus-engineering-
offer-vision-of-carbon-fiber-car-future/2520133/