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Dream's extensive use of the ideal matrix CFSC; Carbon Fiber skinned Sandwich Core

"The tube and filter plates, etc, all look great. Inspecting it up close was a pleasure. Beautiful job!! Usually these things look better in pictures than in reality, but not so here."
David Fitz-Henry: Australia

From small diameter to large diameter carbon fiber tubes. From raw tubes to finished tubes.

Dream's CFSC tubes are extremely strong. See videos here showing the point of a flathead screwdriver and a hammer striking Dream's CFSC.

 Dream has empirical experience and expertise dating back to 2003. If you want the ultimate in mechanical and thermal performance, all sky, not just in one position and at one small temperature range, then Dream's expertise and consistency in fabricating CFSC parts for opto-mechanical applications has no rivals.

Buy the best. Only cry once.

Dream specializes in the use of Carbon Fiber skinned, thick-walled Sandwich Core technology (CFSC). Dream's specific CFSC matrix offers our clients the highest stiffness to weight ratio, helping to maintain optical alignment and focus all-sky and over very broad temperature ranges.

They are specifically designed to closely match the CTE of borosilicate glass.
We have over 10 years of empirical data showing our telescopes can maintain focus and optical alignment, all-sky, over 20°F temperature changes using the following system:
- f3.75: Depth Of Focus is 31 microns. (DOF of f10 = 220 microns. Can absorb much larger focus shifts.)
- 52mm image circles: 37mm x 37mm detectors. The larger the focal plane, the more sensitive the system.
- Telescope tubes 3x longer than compact SCT's. Focus shifts are based on length and CTE.

Dream's CFSC tubes do NOT require something else to be bolted to them in order to achieve their incredibly high stiffness. They can be attached to a mount on one side of the tube. What's the point of investing in a carbon fiber tube if it requires other supports to achieve a stiffness that can't compare to Dream's CFSC tubes? What happens when this 1.85 pound Dream CFSC strut is replaced with a solid laminate (no core) strut of the same mass? Answer; the floor...

All of Dream's advanced composite parts are designed & fabricated in-house using high performance, high temperature epoxy, vacuum bagged and cooked in one of our ovens. A black-surfaced material in the Sun on a day when it is only 70°F will go to over 160°F.
Dream uses vacuum bagging because it is 20-40+ times more force than compression-wrapping. Vacuum bagging is far more uniform as well. In composites we need to force out air, moisture and excess resin in order to reduce voids and to get the fibers closer together. Performance is in the fibers, not in the heavy resin. We've seen what very low vacuum does to the parts. It's a night and day difference in performance.
What happens to layers and layers of carbon fiber that are progressively added to the outside of a male mandrel, then lightly compressed inward? They form wrinkles. The greater the number of layers added, the bigger the problem. Small-scale wrinkles are the Achilles heel of composites. It is to be avoided at all costs. Dream's tubes are fabricated using a method that tensions the carbon fibers.


Carbon Fiber skinned Sandwich Core TUBES

- vacuum bagged and gauranteed to have less than 40% resin (60%+ fiber) by weight -

tube size Outer Diameter

length

delivery

weight-lbs

8"

48"

6-12 weeks

4.25

10"

48"

6-12 weeks

5.5

12"

48"

6-12 weeks

6.5

13.5"

48"

6-12 weeks

9

13.5"

58"

6-12 weeks

11.25

16.0"

48"

6-12 weeks

13

20"

58"

6-12 weeks

TBD

hybrid 20"

58"

6-12 weeks

23

up to 60"

dcontact for pricing & information

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- Weights are based on previous tubes made or best approximations -

Contact Dream for custom lengths, sizes and shapes not listed.

Delivery is dependant on Dream's current workload. Contact Dream to discuss.


Click here to read comments from a 12" OD carbon fiber tube customer. Their image of M104 was published in the September 2007 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, p. 92.


Click here to read a note received from an international client who received their 16" OD carbon fiber tube 12/12/06.


Click here to see photos and comments by a 12" OD tube customer.


ABOUT

TECHNOLOGIES

PRODUCTS

WHITE PAPERS

TESTIMONIALS