Question: What do you research?

Faranak Bahrami answered on 4 Mar 2019:

I research into a new technique that can be used instead of drilling for composite materials.

– Composite materials are made from two or more basic material mixed together. The materials can be natural or not, and keep their separate properties when mixed together. However, the composite material as a whole may behave differently from either of its parts.
– Composite materials are made out of reinforcement (fibre) and matrix
– The reinforcement is the material that provides strength, rigidity and the ability to carry a load. for example glass fibre or carbon fibre (carbon fibre is more expensive but can be stronger)
-The matrix is usually a viscous material that hardens to give shape to the composite product and to protect the fibres from damage.

— So if you want to have holes in the composite material, they usually drill holes in it, but if you imagine all these fibres which carry the load are very long, so when you drill holes, you cut the fibres in half, so they are not connected anymore. that makes the composite less strong.

— what I do in my research is that I heat up the composite when the matrix gets soft, all those fibres can move around easier, then I have designed a tool with loads of sharp pins, the pins will press into the composite, and make the fibres to displace around the pins, and when the pins come out from the other side you end up with holes, but without cutting the fibres, which means your material is still strong 🙂

Then I have to make loads of samples by using my technique and also drilling, with a different number of holes and then mechanically test them to prove which one is better and why.

I hope it kind of made sense, let me know if you want me to clarify something 🙂