You have undoubtedly noticed that first Aprilia, then Ducati, introduced carbon elements in MotoGP whose braiding differs from what we usually see almost everywhere.
The finished elements indeed present large squares, which can be up to an inch on a side, or around 25 millimeters, even if Aprilia has returned to finer braiding with its RS-GP 21.
How is this carbon made and what are its advantages?
What is called a carbon element is made up of a resin providing the strength of the composite combined with carbon fiber ensuring its physical integrity. Carbon fiber is made from a molecularly complex plastic polymer yarn, which is subjected to various thermal and chemical treatments to reduce it to the most empirical form of carbon. It is finer than a hair and it generally takes between 3000 and 12 to make the cord which will then be woven.
The two main weaves used are the basic two-way checkerboard effect and the two-by-two diagonal effect twill, the latter being widely used in competition due to its ease of molding.
There are a variety of other weaves, such as the one used on the fairing of Michele Pirro's Ducati GP21 during the latest tests at Sepang, a sort of uneven two-way, different from the two-by-two twill used for the tank cover. and the saddle.
All these weaves use the same principle, an interweaving of carbon “cords” which result in two essential characteristics: a minimum thickness and a slightly wavy finish of the pre-impregnated fiber.
Instead of cords, Spread Tow technology uses carbon ribbons to offer both a much thinner part (we can go down to a few fractions of a millimeter) and therefore lighter, and much smoother. This is why it is used for aerodynamic elements in MotoGP.
Lighter by around 50%, smoother, the parts obtained are incidentally more resistant in traction and compression, but also and above all have better mechanical performance in torsion due to their greater fiber/resin ratio.
In short, only advantages for the support surfaces of MotoGP fins, once they have been defined with extreme precision. And for this, most brands use 3D printing to create different variants before finalizing one which will then be molded in carbon fibers. We've seen it many times before, and we can still see it on Michele Pirro's bike in Qatar, whose inner wing covering does not appear to be woven...
Most MotoGP uses several carbon fabrics, sometimes even on the same part, depending on the desired strength and the shape to be obtained.
Photo credits: Ducati, Michelin, Turnology
