Why Carbon Fiber-Infused Nylon?
When it comes to working with delicate components—whether it’s the suspension system of a mountain bike, high-performance parts in motorsports, or general workshop tools—the right workholding tools make all the difference. Soft jaws, used in vises to clamp parts securely without causing damage, are essential for precision work. The material used for these jaws directly impacts the quality, safety, and efficiency of the tasks being performed. At Gorman Precision, we’ve chosen 3D printed carbon fiber-infused high-temperature nylon as the ideal material for our soft jaws. Trusted in professional industrial settings for fixtures and robotic grippers, this material offers unmatched strength, flexibility, and protection.
The Strength and Versatility of Nylon
Nylon is widely respected for its strength-to-weight ratio and versatility, making it a reliable material in everything from consumer goods to industrial equipment. It’s strong enough to securely hold even the most complex components while remaining lightweight for easy handling. This combination is particularly useful in fields like mountain biking, motorsports, and general workshop use, where precise and reliable clamping is essential.
What makes nylon stand out is its flexibility. Unlike metals that can be brittle, nylon offers just the right amount of give to prevent cracking or chipping when clamping fragile or parts with special coatings. Whether you’re working on a delicate mountain bike suspension fork, a motorsports engine component, or even general shop tools, nylon’s flexibility ensures secure clamping without damage.
Additionally, nylon’s low friction means it won’t scratch or mar the surfaces of valuable parts, such as carbon fiber bike frames or anodized aluminum components. And because it’s resistant to oils, solvents, and other chemicals commonly found in mountain biking and motorsports environments, nylon stands up to repeated use while maintaining its integrity.
Carbon Fiber-Infused Nylon: A Superior Hybrid
While nylon on its own is a strong material, carbon fiber-infused nylon takes workholding performance to the next level. By combining the high-strength properties of carbon fiber with nylon’s flexibility and durability, this hybrid material offers even greater advantages for demanding applications.
Carbon fiber adds rigidity, which is essential for holding heavy-duty parts, such as motorsport suspension components or mountain bike systems. Precision is key in these industries, and the enhanced stability of carbon fiber-infused nylon ensures parts stay secure during repairs or adjustments, maintaining accuracy throughout.
This hybrid material also improves wear resistance, significantly extending the lifespan of the soft jaws, making them ideal for frequent use in workshops. The carbon fiber infusion also improves temperature resistance, allowing the soft jaws to withstand exposure to heat—an advantage when dealing with hot motorsports parts or general workshop tools fresh off the machine.
Carbon fiber-infused nylon’s proven reliability in industrial settings, such as robotic grippers and manufacturing fixtures, shows that it’s built for precision and durability. The same benefits extend to workshop use, where accuracy and strength are critical to safe and effective workholding.
The Ideal Material for Soft Jaws
Nylon, particularly carbon fiber-infused nylon, provides the perfect combination of strength, flexibility, and protection, making it ideal for precision workholding. Its ability to clamp delicate parts securely without scratching or marring surfaces, combined with its durability in the face of chemicals and high temperatures, makes it a superior material for soft jaws in mountain biking, motorsports, and general workshop settings.