tombuch 0 #1 October 13, 2005 I saw an interesting release on the PR Newswire this morning about STARA Technologies. They are doing some demo tests of a parachute delivery system for the military, and showing a new kind of parachute material that they report is stronger, lighter, and less stretchable than conventional parachute material. It's an interesting read, but of course it is on the PR Wire, so take it with a grain of salt. See below. . Quote STARA Technologies Demonstrates UAV Precision Airdrop Capabilities for the US Military in Yuma, AZ YUMA, Ariz., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- At the request of the United States Army, STARA Technologies, Inc. will demonstrate its patented miniature guided parachute technology at the Precision Airdrop Technology Conference and Demonstration at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona. On October 17th through the 21st STARA Technologies will present the capabilities of its miniature Mosquito guided parachute systems to several hundred U.S. Military personnel. The Mosquito is the only system in the world light enough and small enough to be used with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The Mosquito enhances the capabilities of the US Military by providing the ability to use UAVs to drop Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS), communications relays, and medical resupply bundles with an accuracy of 100 feet. The Mosquito can be launched from 35,000 feet from a UAV wing mount or an external flare/chaff dispenser. The Mosquito is 20x smaller than other systems on the market and will be the only miniature delivery system presented at PATCAD. In the next six months the Mosquito will be dropped from 6 different UAV platforms including the Predator A and B series. Additionally, STARA will be jointly presenting the capabilities of a new innovative composite parachute material called Cuben Fiber. Cuben Fiber is 350% stronger, 700% less stretchable and 75% lighter than conventional parachute material. The inventor of the material and original designer of the composite parafoil, R.J. Downs will be a guest of STARA's and will be presenting his fabric to hundreds of military personnel. About STARA Technologies, Inc.: Headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, STARA is an innovative electronics engineering company that specializes in UAV air drop solutions for the US Military. For further information please contact: Colin McCavitt, President of STARA Technologies, Inc. Tel: (480) 962-4591, Fax: (480) 962-5016 [email protected] To obtain additional information about STARA, visit our web site at http://www.PrecisionEmplacement.com. This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com. SOURCE STARA Technologies, Inc. 10/13/2005 07:33 ETTom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dougiefresh 0 #2 October 13, 2005 From their website: Cuben Fiber, Inc. and STARA, Inc. are working together to incorporate "Cuben Fiber", an innovative fabric into STARA's parafoils and parachutes. STARA believes that Cuben Fiber's composite fabric will one day replace conventional ripstop nylon, the backbone of parachute fabric for over fifty five years. R.J. Downs, President of Cuben Fiber explains that his fabric isn't new at all; years ago it turned the sailing community upside down when it was used in sail boat spinnakers that were responsible for winning the America's Cup. 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. STARA intends to combine Cuben Fiber material with the expertise of Pioneer Aerospace, the world's largest and most innovative producer of parachute / parafoil technology to create a "super chute" that will flip the parachute industry upside down. Cuben Fiber, Pioneer and STARA are looking forward to the results. Benefits of using Cuben Fiber and STARA's parafoils: Incredibly light weight, packs in a smaller volume and stronger than rip-stop nylon Eliminates canopy distortion because it doesn't stretch. This increases aerodynamic performance 7 year shelf life because it is mildew and ultra-violet ray (UV) resistant.Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gus 1 #3 October 13, 2005 Some technical data on "Cuben Fiber" materials here. Does someone know how these compare with conventional canopy nylon? Something about the 7 year shelf life rings a bell, have we heard about this before? GusOutpatientsOnline.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 135 #4 October 13, 2005 Cuben Fiber ?? why not 3DL ?? scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark 102 #5 October 13, 2005 Old news. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1471202 Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #6 October 13, 2005 Neither the old news nor the new installment has an answer about tear strength. The sailmakers should know if this stuff can be sewn, and if so, how. Who's going to go ask them? -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #7 October 13, 2005 QuoteNeither the old news nor the new installment has an answer about tear strength. Yeah, that's the thing that jumped out at me. They proclaim that this new wonder fabric doesn't stretch. But one of the great things about parachute nylon is that it does stretch, to help absorb opening shock, and then returns to it's original dimensions. So if Cuben fabric does not stretch, then doesn't that make it more likely to tear? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark 102 #8 October 13, 2005 Atair Dan has a personal parachute made from Cuben fabric. It is sewn (with E-thread, I think), but he siad it could be glued together. For sport parachutes, sewing is better because it allows more or less normal packing. The fabric is zero porosity, unlike ZP which allows some air through the weave. Dan's canopy was reinforced at the line attachments; I don't recall if the reinforcement was just another layer or two of Cuben, or some more conventional fabric or tape. The existence of Dan's sport parachute doesn't mean Atair has a good solution to the additional stress caused by no-stretch fabric. Some combination of slider size and shape, pilot chute size, and freefall speed obviously made the openings acceptable for him, though. Dan said the fabric was quite expensive, so don't look for sport applications any time soon. I got the impression his parachute was more of an engineering experiment than any sort of pre-production model. Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewwhyte 1 #9 October 13, 2005 Will this lead to an increase in opening shock deaths? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tr027 0 #10 October 13, 2005 Quotestretch, to help absorb opening shock, and then returns to it's original dimensions. So if Cuben fabric does not stretch, then doesn't that make it more likely to tear? Perhaps, if it wasn't 350% stronger."The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. " -John Galt from Atlas Shrugged, 1957 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #11 October 13, 2005 QuoteQuotestretch, to help absorb opening shock, and then returns to it's original dimensions. So if Cuben fabric does not stretch, then doesn't that make it more likely to tear? Perhaps, if it wasn't 350% stronger. which then comes back to us. We're not 350% stronger. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grue 1 #12 October 13, 2005 How's the pack volume, and how slippery is it? Everyone knows THIS is what we wanna know cavete terrae. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #13 October 13, 2005 QuoteThe existence of Dan's sport parachute doesn't mean Atair has a good solution to the additional stress caused by no-stretch fabric. Some combination of slider size and shape, pilot chute size, and freefall speed obviously made the openings acceptable for him, though. Yes, when you upset the delicate balance between different components, you just transfer the stress to something else, which can start failing. It takes a whole re-balancing of things to come up with a magic combination once again that is reliable. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #14 October 14, 2005 QuoteYeah, that's the thing that jumped out at me. They proclaim that this new wonder fabric doesn't stretch. But one of the great things about parachute nylon is that it does stretch, to help absorb opening shock, and then returns to it's original dimensions. So if Cuben fabric does not stretch, then doesn't that make it more likely to tear? I don't think the cloth's stretchability is as critical as the suspension lines stretchability in mitigating opening shocks. IMHO. Any canopy engineers lurking out there? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #15 October 14, 2005 I am attending PATCAD . . . I'll investigate and bring back as much info as I can.Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frost 1 #16 October 17, 2005 not sure if we're talking about the same thing here, but didnt PD displayed a 143R made from some new hi-tech fabric at the last riggers convention that packed as big as regular 113R? Is it the same fabric? cant wait for that!SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #17 October 17, 2005 Quotenot sure if we're talking about the same thing here, but didnt PD displayed a 143R made from some new hi-tech fabric at the last riggers convention that packed as big as regular 113R? Is it the same fabric? cant wait for that! IIRC, It was still 0-3cfm nylon, but I believe that it was a lighter fabric. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #18 October 17, 2005 I guess one place to find out about Cuban Fiber is from sailing forums. One reports some mysterious "shrinking" problem. But they don't elaborate. Maybe it's the salt water? If it shrinks in sunlihgt, that would be very bad for canopies. How much does it shrink? Here's another that extolls the virtue of the fabric for kiteboarding.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 232 #19 October 17, 2005 Quote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Reply To -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- stretch, to help absorb opening shock, and then returns to it's original dimensions. So if Cuben fabric does not stretch, then doesn't that make it more likely to tear? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Perhaps, if it wasn't 350% stronger. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- which then comes back to us. We're not 350% stronger. THIS IS ALL WITCHCRAFT!! BURN THEM AT THE STAKE!!!"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 232 #20 October 17, 2005 QuoteMaybe it's the salt water? If it shrinks in sunlihgt, that would be very bad for canopies. You're talking about a situation in which the material is in sunlight usually for the entire day and in some circumstances is used continuously. Dangle a canopy from your mast and see how long it holds up."I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #21 October 17, 2005 QuoteQuotestretch, to help absorb opening shock, and then returns to it's original dimensions. So if Cuben fabric does not stretch, then doesn't that make it more likely to tear? Perhaps, if it wasn't 350% stronger. What about the stitching used to sew the chute panels together - is that thread made out of Cuben too? What I'm thinking is that, while the fabric might hold, you might just have stitching popping apart and panels coming apart at the seams... I recall problems encountered with ejection chutes when they started using things like kevlar lines on nylon chutes. The force from the non-stretchable kevlar lines was transmitted to the line attachment points, and new techniques had to be developed to keep the lines from just popping off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IanHarrop 37 #22 October 17, 2005 They don't sew the panels together - they fuse them. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1471334#1471334"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark 102 #23 October 18, 2005 QuoteThey don't sew the panels together - they fuse them. I think you may have misread the description. The fabric itself comes as a composite panel formed by fused layers. The pieces for a parachute canopy (or sail, or other application) have to be cut out of the fabric panel, and can then be sewn together or fused/glued along the seams. For sport parachutes, sewing is better: sewing puts holes in the fabric, which allows air to escape while packing. Atair Dan's parachute is sewn. Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Witelli 0 #24 October 18, 2005 QuoteWill this lead to an increase in opening shock deaths? Do you think the difference between this material will be that much more significant than the difference between F111 and ZeroP? I'm not even sure you could say ZP opens harder than F111 or causes more opening shock deaths due to the canopy fabric? Or does it? I don't know, just trying to put it into a perspective. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,048 #25 October 18, 2005 Two things I remember from Dan's presentation at the '05 symposium: It was reinforced with another layer of fabric. The canopy weighed less than the lines. Also, he was jumping regularly. Seemed to work for him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
