Connection methods for carbon fiber tubes include epoxy resin bonding, carbon-titanium composite joint molding, and drilling. After epoxy resin bonding, residual resin can be cleaned with acetone. Carbon-titanium composite joint molding requires consideration of the stress distribution and connector structure. Drilling is difficult due to the high strength of carbon fiber tubes and can easily lead to tube cracking.
When cutting carbon fiber tubes, diamond-coated abrasive cutting blades should be used; avoid using toothed blades, as these can jam the fibers and tear the material, causing delamination. The tube must be supported during cutting to prevent the cutting end from moving and creating burrs. For thicker tube walls, care should be taken to cool the cutting surface or blade to reduce the risk of frictional overheating. Active cooling with a wet saw or segmented blades can be used. Common problems include delamination, overheating, and abrasion: delamination is prone to occur when cutting unidirectional tubes; the cutting speed should be slowed down. Overheating is prone to occur when cutting thicker-walled carbon fiber tubes; the cutting speed should be reduced or coolant should be used. Abrasion is prone to occur when cutting aramid or carbon/aramid hybrid tubes; after cutting, the edges can be smoothed with sandpaper or other abrasive materials.
