Carbon fiber can be easily described as the material of the future thanks to its advantageous properties in comparison with steel. However there is naturally a flaw. Carbon fiber is too expensive. It will take some time and innovations to reduce its price. We strongly believe that will occur, because the demand constantly grows up. On the other hand, we can freely state that carbon fiber secures its place as the material of the 21st century. Anyway, today we focus on Carbon Fiber Vs Steel Shaft!
Today`s video features a drive shaft test that puts these two materials head to head. This particular test is conducted in the facility of the British automaker Lotus. Anyway, they put the two drive shafts in a machine that utilizes twisting force and hence twists material to a breaking point. It is equipped with sensors that collect information about how much force is applied before the object, in this case a drive shaft, breaks.
In order to find out the outcome of the Carbon Fiber Vs Steel Shaft test, first, they put the steel one in the machine which snapped at 1376 Nm of torque or 1014 pound-feet. Next up is the carbon fiber drive shaft and it endured a lot more force! In figures it looks like this: it broke at 4728 Nm or 3487 lb-ft of torque! So carbon fiber is lighter and stronger than steel making it more favorable!
At last, click here to read some interesting facts you didn`t know about Carbon Fiber.
