Technical

Foils - A “sharkskin” layer for flying faster

Equipment

Article published on 20/07/2020

By Emmanuel van Deth

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published inn°14aug. / sept.

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Biomimicry of shark skin has already proved its worth: it has significantly improved the performance of Olympic swimmers wearing wetsuits with an outer layer inspired by shark scales. Researchers and engineers from IRMA and IREPA LASER, both members of Carnot MICA, are combining their know-how to produce foils made using the latest generation 3D printing with a carbon-composite material that combines lightness and robustness.

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The appendages will then be covered with a resin skin then textured via laser micro-ablation to recreate the texture of shark skin. This texturing will make it possible to recreate micro-turbulence which will play on the hydrodynamics of the foils. Tests will soon be carried out in tanks to compare the performance of the newly textured foils with that of “standard” foils.

www.instituts-carnot.eu

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