Cuben Fiber

[base428 1]

Ever heard of it? Read more about it here. Why aren't we using it for our parachutes if it's so much better?

(c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted. <==For the media only

[darkwing 4]

I know nothing about it, but would need to know a LOT more before I made a canopy out of it. What is its tear strength? Can you sew it by conventional means? How sensitive is it to being crammed into a tiny bag and compressed? ...

Edit to add: I'm concerned about the 7 year shelf life, which seems to be not very long. Still, I am certain that we are technologically capable of significant improvements in our fabric and suspension lines. Mostly it is an issue of being a small market in the vastly bigger world of textiles.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[diablopilot 2]

Has it been proven to be "better"?


Not saying it won't live up to the chalenge, but there are ALOT of considerations that need to be placed on a fabric before it's considered suitible for the demanding job parachutes ask of it.

Deployment shock, UV resistance, permiability, wear properties, "ripstop-ness".

Look at BASE canopies and the resistance to moving towards the "better" material found in the different "ZP's"

I am interested however.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[GeeeeeeFly 0]

Check this out...

http://www.atairaerospace.com/parachutes/composite/


~G~

"The edge ... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who know where it is are those that have gone over"

[JohnRich 4]

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"Cuben Fiber is created by sandwiching a pattern of high-strength fibers between layers of ultra thin polymer foil and then fusing them under high pressure and heat. STARA's testing, conducted at its laboratory in Mesa, AZ show that Cuben Fiber is 350% stronger, 700% less stretchable, and 75% lighter than ripstop nylon. The results are significantly better than other composite parafoil materials on the market."

Interesting...

In the camping market, they are saying that the next big leap will be things like tents made out of "film", rather than woven textiles. Weaving, after all, is 2,000-year-old technology. Even though nylon is amazing stuff, a film fabric, such as mylar, would be even lighter and stronger.

[darkwing 4]

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In the camping market, they are saying that the next big leap will be things like tents made out of "film", rather than woven textiles. Weaving, after all, is 2,000-year-old technology. Even though nylon is amazing stuff, a film fabric, such as mylar, would be even lighter and stronger.

You have to be careful about the word "stronger". Among other issues, tensile strength is VERY different from tear strength.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[mark 102]

The composite fabric parachute shown by Atair/CobaltDan at the PIA Symposium was made of remarkable stuff. One reason why it isn't being more widely used is its cost. Right now, the longest piece being made is about 10 meters, about 30 feet. Additionally, if you want to take advantage of the strength from strand orientation, strand layout for rib pieces must be customized for each rib when the fabric is being manufactured -- the strands need to radiate from the planned line attach points, the way reinforcing tape is currently sewn on ripstop (F-111 and ZP) ribs.

Also, it doesn't dye well. You'd run foul of the fashion police.

Mark

[JohnRich 4]

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Also, it doesn't dye well. You'd run foul of the fashion police.

Well heck, if I can't get it in fuschia, watermelon and neon pink, then just forget about it!

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

I attended Dan Preston's seminar at the Symposium and the most interesting thing I thought was that the canopy body weighed less than the suspension lines.

[jdfreefly 1]

600% less stretch means more opening shock.

This is one of the reason that modern canopies open harder. When spectra lines were first introduced there were a rash of hard opening related injuries. The spectra didn't stretch like the dacron lines and as a result, transmitted the opening shock instead of absorbing it. The solution was new packing techniques and slider mods to soften openings.

Diablopilot is right, stronger is not always better.

Methane Freefly - got stink?

[wingnut 0]

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600% less stretch means more opening shock

ya would think though that if they are gona incorporate this new materialinto a parachute they would modify designs to account for this and have a much more snivley opening....

______________________________________
"i have no reader's digest version"

[diablopilot 2]

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Diablopilot is right

Don't say that. It'll just swell his head......the guy is a walking fucking ego........

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[bob.dino 0]

There's gotta be a first time for everything .

[headoverheels 291]

Quote

Quote

Diablopilot is right

Don't say that. It'll just swell his head......the guy is a walking fucking ego........

Even A blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then

[STARA 0]

Hey all,

Any composite parafoil you see today is made of Cuben Fiber. Other manufacturers claim the material to be their own but in fact they are using Cuben Fiber too. RJ Downs, the inventor of the composite material and the inventor of the first composite parafoil has been making composite parafoils for years. Some have been used for skydiving and a majority have been used for windsailing. I think he and Pioneer Aerospace made a composite parafoil nearly 10 years ago.

If you want to know more about Cuben Fiber please contact RJ at [email protected] or call him at 480 641 0438.

RJ's material is really going to flip the industry upside down. Hop on board.

As of last week

[cobaltdan 0]

Not true, Atair Aerospace has begun manufacturing their developed composite fabric.

Atair invested $2m in the production line, including a custom designed and build cnc weft insertion machine capable of producing 6m of fabric per minute.

Atair displayed fabric and video of our production at patcad.

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Daniel Preston <><>
atairaerodynamics.com (sport)
atairaerospace.com (military)

[chutesR4wimps 0]

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Atair displayed fabric and video of our production at patcad.
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What is patcad?

Steve

[MikeForsythe 0]

Precision Airdrop Technology Conference and Demonstration

Time and pressure will always show you who a person really is!

[chutesR4wimps 0]

Oh, thats sounds pretty cool. So Dan, how was patcad? Did you guys get to demo your systems? How'd they do?

Steve

[chutesR4wimps 0]

Did anyone here go to patcad? I thought I saw someone on another thread say they were going.

Steve

[slotperfect 7]

I did. I got a sample of two thicknesses of the fabric and a business card from the intermediary vendor, but the owner of the Cuben Fiber company was not there. I sent him an email asking him to post details in this thread, but I haven't seen anything from him yet. His website is posted elsewhere in this thread.

Arrive Safely

John

[STARA 0]

RJ was called out of town in the beginning of the week but did make it to Yuma for the PATCAD VIP day. Unfortunately since he arrived so late they wouldn’t register him to witness the drops! We speak to him every week so if you are having trouble contacting him, let me know and I'll forward your correspondence.

To clarify, STARA (the 3rd party vendor you mentioned) doesn't sell Cuben Fiber, we promote it at our events because another vendor in the parachute industry has been promoting Cuben Fiber as their own and not giving RJ credit. We feel the rightful inventor of the technology should be given credit.

In regards to PATCAD, STARA had a terrific performance, our miniature guided chutes delivered 5 pound and 20 pound sensor packages very close to the target. There's a 5 minute video clip from the Arizona news on our website about PATCAD, I think every vendor's chutes are displayed. Even the one where the chute didn't open and the guidance unit smashed a hole in the drop zone.

www.stara.biz/patcad