Achieving better performance by keeping the weight down and the structural integrity up. From raw material to precise cuts of fabric to fined construction techniques, every detail matters!
‘Today, every piece of carbon that goes into the construction of a 68 has been cut for the task either off site or at times on a cutting table, laid down and quality checked,’ says William Jelbert, chief operating officer at Gunboat. Based at La Grande Motte in the south of France, Jelbert has considerable experience in the field of composite construction having worked for several major builders around the world where he has been at the leading edge in the adoption and application of modern carbon composite construction.
‘Precision is the key for structural integrity and quality in modern composite construction and one of the reasons why the SF Composites/ Hexcel partnership is so important for us is that it eliminates the risk of human error,’ he says. ‘They deliver millimetre precision that improves build efficiency and reduces labour hours. For example, we order specific rolls of carbon at pre-defined widths of unidirectional fibres for the exact measurements that are required. I get nervous when a tape measure comes out,’ he jokes.
‘But seriously, with this system we can achieve better build tolerances with panels that are cut much more accurately, reducing extra material and weight. The increase in weight is not only the carbon excess but the resin this excess will absorb. So, the material supplied by SF Composites means that we are also achieving an overall weight saving.’
