Diseño y construcción de protectores laterales fabricado en un material compuesto de abacá – Poliester para Karting

Abstract

Karting is a category within the world of motorsport that has been developing in Automotive Engineering career at Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo since 2016 and throughout these years has sought to innovate many of the components that make up a go kart, including bumpers or also called protectors. The objective of this project was to manufacture the side protectors based on the composite material abaca-polyester replacing conventional polymers and help to meet the same mechanical characteristics; As well as the use of natural fibers that nowadays are a renewable resource and of easy extraction; the union of a thermostable reinforcement called polyester together with the natural fiber gives as a result a composite material. The new material formation gives a great panoramic vision to look for alternatives and different applications for the manufacture of auto parts in the automotive world and to look for a replacement for fiberglass. Three types, inductive, deductive, and experimental research methodologies were used helped to understand known data and apply processes based on theory to finally realize the composite material based on abaca - polyester in percentages of 30% - 70% respectively in a single configuration of woven reinforcement. Finally, performing destructive tests to validate the mechanical properties that contribute as natural fiber. The obtained results in conjunction with the simulation and destructive tests determine a modulus of elasticity 6243,65 MPa for the glass fiber and 33,55 MPa for the abaca fiber; so it is evident a considerable improvement of the characteristics of the glass fiber compared to the abaca fiber