Carbon Composite Coating - Frequently Asked Questions

 

Can you really apply ceramic coatings to carbon fiber without damaging it?

Yes, we have developed a process for preparing and applying ceramic coatings to carbon fibre composite components - panels, heatshields, brake ducts - all to protect them against excess heat. Our ceramic coating also offers a degree of fire protection allowing composite materials to withstand heat and flame for longer.

 

What level of protection is offered by your coating?

Our coating reduces the rate at which heat is transferred to the composite surface by conduction or convective heat. It also protects against direct radiant heat. If heating is intermittent (e.g. on brakes), if air flow is present, or if the rear of the component is in a cool zone, then the coating can often allow carbon composite to be used in areas where its use would otherwise not have been possible. 

 

The level of protection depends upon the source of heat, local air flow, whether the heat is continuous or intermitent and the geometry of the part that is being protected. We rely upon customer testing or computational modelling to determine the protection offered for each application, though a very approximate "rule of thumb" is that our coating reduces the temperature of the composite part by 33%.

 

What is the normal turnaround time?

We offer a special 24hr turnaround for major motorsport customers including all of our F1 customers.

 

For all other customers our normal turnaround is a maximum of 10 working days though we do offer the choice of upgrading to:

  • A Premium Service - here we guarantee to turnaround work within our factory in just 2 working days (so a very rapid 48 hour turnaround). In this case we charge a 30% price premium over our Standard Service, and;
  • An Express Service - here we guarantee to turnaround customer work in our factory in just 5 working days, and in this case we charge a 10% price premium over our Standard Service.

We will of course endevour to meet specific project deadlines. Please discuss your requirements with us when you place your order.