Description | Core is Nomex Honeycomb – likely 0.375” Both sides are laminated with either Carbon or fiberglass cloth. Minimum of two layers on both sides with alternating fiber orientation. Recommended: Use vacuum bagging for lamination process.
Validate: What is available in the Shop as it relates to thickness. If I remember correctly then it is the pure Honeycomb core without any external / side layers: we will likely need to add a thin layer of Birch ply to create a flat surface that can then be laminated. |
Strength Notes | The strength is purely in the outer layers provided by the carbon or fiberglass. Likely weaker than the Birch Play laminate since the NHC in itself is not strong. In essence an I-Beam, the honeycomb acting as the web, and the top skins acting as the flanges. The advantage over an I-Beam is the core creates a box structure giving the panel additional torsional rigidity. Another benefit of a core material is as the core thickness increases the panels stiffness increases dramatically. The Nomex honeycomb offers additional compressive strength with lower densities when compared to low density foam cores. Nomex Honeycomb also has properties including moisture resistance, energy absorption, and sound and vibration dampening. |
Advantages |
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Disadvantages | Forming the fins to an exact aerodynamic profile is nearly impossible – even more so than the BPC. If you do cut limited ‘bevels’ using a table saw then that will effectively expose the NHC voids that will create an uneven surface and you expose the weak inner core. You are effectively weakening the NHC at the point where it will be subject to all the aerodynamic forces.
There could be an alternative where a hybrid aluminum / NHC fin is created to overcome this. See below. |
Weight | See table above |
Cost | See table above 1/5: If we have sufficient NHC available – then the cost is only in the laminate material & consumables.
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Application | Suitable for all construction techniques |