carbon fiber toughbook?

I was just brainstorming on how I can mod my CF-29L or CF-30C. The idea that I came up with was to disassemble the entire screen bezel and make a carbon fiber mold of it. That type of craftsmanship is so far out of my reach that is why it is just an idea. What if someone was able to mold the screen bezel and the bottom cover out of carbon fiber how much weight would that save? and how much rigidity and overall protection would you be losing if it could be done. I realize that this type of project would probably take someone a months or longer but the possibility just makes me wonder.

 

I would think the weight saving would be minimal at best. as far as rigidity isn't carbon fiber more "flexy"? I know in bicycle frames and forks the ride is more forgiving with carbon fiber as they are not as rigid as chrome/moly frames. at least that was true when I used to bike.

 

If you're looking to save weight you would need to mold the bottom casing, that would be much harder with the doors and stuff, alot of the toughbooks weight comes from the battery, HD caddy and optical drive, dont believe me take all that stuff out and pick it up again, quite a difference!

 

I'm under the impression that the magnesium bottoms on Panny's are part of the heat sink/heat diffusion so you wouldn't want to try and replace that would you?

 

lots of interesting opinions here so far. it was just me thinking of the possibilities of doing it. I guess that it just does not get any better than the way Panasonic built it. I was thinking of other mods other than the usual HDD, slot load DVD, internal or external GPS and all the other stuff people on this forum have done. I f anybody else has any other ambitious ideas then please post them lets see if anyone attempts it.

 

This is true, I would think by changing it to a material which does not conduct heat as well would rish significant hardware temperature problems

 

Yeah, plastic case, add a fan, lose dust, moisture, and all other forms of protection. Oh, and your battery run time goes to he11 too. Carbon fiber is good stuff for tensile properties, impact and dent resistance, not so much.
CAP

 

totally the wrong material for the application im afraid - to get the strength you would need so much that the laptop would grow in size and the weight would be the same....

 

The cooling is done by heat pipe.... Big aluminum heat sinks that spread the heat out through hollow tubes. I would think you could still have a carbon fiber bottom.... But why go through the cost to get very little benefit?

Cool idea though...

But I'd much rather have a 55 Chevy Shoebox with a big fat, blown 400 with dual .50 caliber machine guns that shoot at whatever I look at.... And yes... I'd run that through the Toughbook.

Hmmm... Another idea for the next truck I get when I build in the carputer....

 

I say no! to that project. Reason; one, you are going to eliminate the parts of the body which is also part of the cooling system. The designer of this fully rugged toughbook I'd say is genius. why? coz they came up of eliminating the annoying sound of fan when it start to kick specially on a high temp level.


Rick! is a bad rep here do exist? Maybe we can start a new feature on the forum, Lol..j/k

ohlip

 

Rick you always have the best ideas...........

 

Hmmm ... There are days when that mod would come in very handy!

 

Rick, I like that idea. Spark