Team
- Samantha Kapushy
- Nicholas Donnell
- Hailey Perraut
- Jakob Singer
Mentors
Doug Kelley, Melodie Lawton, and Mark Juba
Abstract
The purposes of this project were to
- develop a manufacturing process for hemp composites,
- characterize the manufactured composites via testing,
- determine if the hemp composite is comparable to other common composites such as fiberglass and carbon fiber.
A Standard Operating Procedure was developed and made safer by performing HAZOP and FMEA analysis. The samples were cut with a laser cutter into desired shapes for testing, and a variety of tests were performed to characterize the material. From that characterization, it was determined that the hemp composites are a comparable alternative to both fiberglass and carbon fiber composites. This is an important finding because it supports hemp composites as a sustainable, inexpensive alternative to more widely used materials.