In snowboard manufacturing, it is essential to find the materials that would be perfect to help the snowboard withstand the external forces. The board will be built as a sandwich structure (Purdy et al., 2013). In order to calculate the key snowboard properties of bending and torsional stiffness, a new model has to be developed. Any complex layer structure might be assessed for use within a snowboard, and the material architecture should also be well-thought-out.
A geometric unit-cell approach should be utilized to predict the global fiber volume fraction, typical drag ripple, and areal mass (Clifton, Subic & Mouritz, 2010). The current situation in the snowboard market now suggests possible design origination prospects for performant, multipurpose snowboards. Overall, changing the meandering and torsional toughness dispersals and the bow seems to be the vital method of bettering the experience of riding a snowboard when it comes to the most popular riding styles (Clifton, 2011).
The top sheet of the snowboard should be made of epoxy resin. It is rather robust and vibration restraining, which is the central asset for aboard. For layers two and four, fiberglass should be used. Fiberglass is used for the reason that it is more durable and cheaper than any other comparable material. The core of the snowboard should be made of poplar, a thick wood layer that is also supple. Elasticity is significant because the core has to be crooked and shaped in presses throughout the engineering process, and the board has to have some spring when weight is applied when riding. Poplar is low-priced and comparatively easy to obtain. It is frequently selected over other woods for the reason of its ideal mixture of thickness and springiness.
Binding baseplate should be made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a long-chain polymer made of carbon and hydrogen atoms. HDPE is durable, hard, and dampness resistant, and is used for the edge to guard the internal layers of the board from the liquid and abrasion that the exterior comes across. The binding plate on the board with channel bindings must be water and friction-resistant. The force the rider applies to the snowboard is concerted where the attachments are fastened, so the board needs strengthening in this area.
The base should be made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which provides a water-resistant layer on the bottommost part of the board that averts the inward wood and fiberglass sheets from captivating dampness. LDPE has extra polymer chain diverging, which stops close-fitting molecular padding. It is more elastic than HDPE, permitting the board to curve and move with the rider. The perfect edge material for a board should be solid enough to get through snow and ice when sharpened and resist corroding. Stainless steel is supreme but costs more than other steels.
In conclusion, a snowboard should be tough and flexible at the same time. This is why the author recommends a strict sandwich structure that would combine elastic materials with durable ones. We need a serious approach when developing the design of a snowboard, as we have to find out what is the right material for each of the snowboard layers and how they actually get together. It is important to carry out all the necessary performance tests and pay attention to the studies conducted by the previous researchers.
References
Clifton, P. (2011). Investigation and customisation of snowboard performance characteristics for different riding styles (Doctoral dissertation, RMIT University).
Clifton, P., Subic, A., & Mouritz, A. (2010). Snowboard Stiffness Prediction Model for Any Composite Sandwich Construction. Procedia Engineering, 2(2), 3163-3169.
Purdy, D. J., Simner, D., Diskett, D., Duncan, A., Brooks, L. E. E., & Sheppard, P. (2013). A theoretical investigation into the handling characteristics of snowboards at low lateral acceleration. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 227(8), 1697-1714.