materials selection project - jamie ferrand · pdf filerod!component!material!selection! ......

Jamie Ferrand 200621788

Materials Selection Project



Materials Selection Project I have chosen to evaluate a fishing rod and line (excluding the reel), which has many different materials and these materials are put under stress regularly when the rod is used. Due to these stresses and the materials having to cope with them, it is interesting how the many different materials react. Performance Requirement

Reason for requirement

Evidence this is required Source How can it be

proved?

Be flexible enough to bend when casting

This provides the power for the cast

All fishermen require the power from the rod to cast long distances

User

A rod can be put under constant stress to see if it take it without breaking

Be rigid enough to not snap when weight is added on the end of the line

When a fish is caught, the rod must be raised to hold the fish on, requiring the rod to be rigid enough not to snap

Fishermen are required to raise rod up when playing a fish so the rod needs to hold the line tight and not break

User

The same test as above: put under stress until a breakage

Must be tough so cracks cant form

When dropped, the rod can’t break in any way

Rods are sometimes dropped and some of them are very expensive so they can’t break easily

User

The material can be dropped on surfaces to experiment what happens

Must be hard enough not to indent

When leaning against a rock or fence post the material cannot be indented in any way

Fishermen often lean rods against fences and rocks, and an indent would affect performance

User

Lean the material against rocks and posts and experiment again

All components must be water resistant

A rod is used in the river and often gets wet

When fishing in a river, the rod almost always gets wet.

User

Place all component materials in water to test outcomes.

All components must be long lasting

Most rods are expensive and so a material is required to last

Fishermen don’t want to replace rods often

User/ Manufacturer

Test an old rod with the same tests as the new materials

It is clear that there are many requirements that a fishing rod needs to fulfill and materials selection is crucial because for all of these requirements, each material must satisfy the specification. The materials included in a fishing rod are the following:

-‐ Carbon fiber rod -‐ Cork handle -‐ Nylon line


Fishing Rod Components

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=sage+fishing+rod&hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&biw=1064&bih=544&tbm=isch&tbnid=gtUvXphWtJmARM:&imgrefurl=http://www.johnnorris.co.uk/search/10900-‐sage-‐one-‐series-‐fly-‐rods-‐7833.html&docid=7YZlnasMsUWTUM&imgurl=http://www.johnnorris.co.uk/uploads/images/product/main/5_ONE_detail-‐01_1315402581.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=Sm02T-‐yFKsLD0QXJsqj0Cg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=815&vpy=151&dur=440&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=144&ty=99&sig=116942346523409306979&page=1&tbnh=169&tbnw=169&start=0&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0

The majority of the modern day fishing rods are made out of carbon fibre. This material provides lightweight strength. This strength shows when casting and playing a fish, because flexibility and rigidity are required for both movements. Rod sizes can vary because they cater for younger and older fishermen/women. Salmon rod sizes vary between 10 feet and 16/17 feet, while trout rods can be as short as 6 feet.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=fishing+nylon&hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&biw=1064&bih=544&tbm=isch&tbnid=RNDby8cMKS9wOM:&imgrefurl=http://xmfortune.en.ec21.com/Nylon_Monofilament_Fishing_Line-‐-‐2295200_2295491.html&docid=N-‐WVjz_DDaaRDM&imgurl=http://image.ec21.com/image/xmfortune/oimg_GC02295200_CA02295491/Nylon_Monofilament_Fishing_Line.jpg&w=560&h=420&ei=dmw2T_KJB4aP0AWC7KnDAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=781&vpy=4&dur=2772&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=91&ty=108&sig=116942346523409306979&page=8&tbnh=152&tbnw=217&start=86&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:86

A nylon line is used because it is lightweight and also can be stretched a little without reaching the elastic limit and then return to its original length. Usually about 200 – 300 yards of line is on a reel (personal experience). The line is water resistant and can be used repeatedly without breaking and so it’s long lasting.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=fishing+rod+cork&hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&biw=1064&bih=544&tbm=isch&tbnid=wD8KzO_lmY29mM:&imgrefurl=http://www.risefishing.com/blog/%3Ftag%3Dstinky-‐rods&docid=16oGgyQIY9mX-‐M&imgurl=http://www.risefishingblog.com/wp-‐content/uploads/2011/02/Rise-‐Fishing-‐Co-‐Cork-‐Grips2.jpg&w=500&h=500&ei=72o2T7_qH4LG0QWH18iqAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=329&vpy=189&dur=13916&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=142&ty=183&sig=116942346523409306979&page=4&tbnh=159&tbnw=158&start=35&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:35

A cork handle is used on most fishing rods because it provides a firm grip on the rod as well as being water resistant. The advantage of using cork is that it’s a floatation device incase the rod is dropped into the water. Cork can easily be cut with a sharp object such as a hook, and as a result it indents. The cork handle tends to be 30 – 50 cm long depending on the length of the rod.


Component Performance Requirements Rod Requirements Reason The rod must be flexible. This is so the rod can be used to cast as

well as provide a type of ‘suspension’ when there is weight on the end of the line.

The rod must be rigid. This is so it doesn’t break under tension when casting or playing a fish.

The rod must be tough. This is so cracks don’t pass through it easily, providing a long life.

The rod must be hard. This is so the rod isn’t indented easily if dropped.

The rod must be water resistant. This is because the rod is used in water. Nylon Line Requirements Reason The line must be slightly stretchable. This is so the material can stretch a bit when

tension is added to the line. The line must be able to take weight without breaking.

This is for when a tension is added to the line.

The line must be water resistant. As the line is going to be in the water, it can’t ne eroded by water.

The line must be lightweight enough to float on water.

Because this is a requirement for fishermen.

Cork Handle Requirements Reason The handle must provide a firm grip. The fisherman must be able to hold the rod

strongly. The handle must be water resistant. Like the other components the handle will

be in the water a lot. The handle must be a buoyancy aid. This is in case the rod is dropped the handle

must float.


Rod Component Material Selection For the rod, which was made of carbon fibre, the closest material that has properties similar to carbon fibre is a magnesium alloy. This provides strength with a low weight. The graph below is the tensile strength of carbon fibre and magnesium alloy against density. As you can see the closest material suitable is denser and has a lower tensile strength. With these two graphs the hardness is unknown, which means that if dropped this material could indent.

But the elastic limit of the rod is also very important, because no fisherman would want his or her rod deforming plastically when casting or when weight is added to the end of the line causing the rod to bend. So I also created a graph with the elastic limit of materials is against the density. The rod would need to be light in weight as well as not deform plastically.

The two graphs provide the same result showing that a magnesium alloy would be most suitable. This material is flexible but rigid then it comes to tension, as well as water-‐resistant. It is also tough and hard so that if dropped it wont shatter, and when under compression or tension, cracks won’t pass through it easily.

Carbon fibre is here

Magnesium alloy is here

Carbon fibre is here

Magnesium alloy is here


Line Component Material Selection For the line, which is usually nylon on most fishing rods nowadays, the closest material that has similar properties is polyetheretherketone (PEEK). This material has very similar properties as shown on the graph below. The constraint of this graph is that there is no indication about how dense the material is, however it is 1.26 g cm-‐3, which is a concern for whether it would float.

This is PEEK line. It has the same characteristics as nylon and can be drawn into long thin lines, perfect for a fishing line. PEEK line is water resistant as well as stretchable and slightly stretchable (all requirements in the above table). With a very low density, it is likely that it will float on water.

Nylon is here

PEEK is here

http://www.solvayplastics.com/sites/solvayplastics/SiteCollectionImages/News/Extruded%20Microtubing%20KT-‐820%20NT_web.jpg


Handle Component Material Selection For the handle, which is usually cork on most fishing rods today, the closest material that was suitable and had the most similar properties was Flexible Polymer Foam (MD). This is foam that can easily be molded into shape. As you can see on the graph below it is clear it is very similar to cork. The graph compares the fracture toughness (i.e. how likely it is to fail) to the density of the material. But the graph only shows the toughness against the density, and not how buoyancy the material is which needs to be tested. Logic suggests that the density can show it.

The new material is even less dense than cork, meaning that it will float (which is a requirement) but it maintains the fracture toughness. Admittedly the toughness isn’t very strong at all but it is the same as cork. The foam can also be gripped easily and it is water resistant, both of which are required.

The white circle is Flexible Polymer Foam

The grey circle under the (MD) is cork

http://www.pittsburghplastics.com/assets/images/PPM-‐3(1).jpg

materials selection project - jamie ferrand · pdf filerod!component!material!selection! ......

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