I’ve not done anything on this subject for a couple of years and have been asked several times about it as an interesting little feature to our customers. What I’ll do is write a series of these, let’s say one every week or so and just keep them posted for you to read and consider. I’ll also share with you some of the quirky little things in composites and ski design that we’ve run into over the years. I am sure that you will find some of them very interesting to say the least.

Tech Talk #1

Predictability or Repeatability

In those two words are two of the great truths in composite structures of which skis are but a small portion.

In the word “predictability” we know that if we change a material specification of or a process specification the result(s) will be to a certain degree, different and in most cases predictable. This is very important in fiber and resin technology.

The word “repeatability” simply means that you use the same materials in the same manner and with the same process parameters, each and every item manufactured will turn out with the same characteristics. In manufacturing, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the results to be different. So, what the hell does all this double talk have to do with a monoski?? The answer is, a lot.

We design, refine and engineer skis as a result of constructive criticism and suggestions from our customers, reps and other outside sources. When we make a change or do a new design, by experience, we have a pretty good idea what the strengths and weaknesses of the ski will be and this goes through all of the performance aspects of that product. As examples:

a- Shorter ski with greater side cut will result in a tighter turning ski.

b- Longer and stiffer skis are typically better at higher speeds closer to the fall line.

c- Carbon fiber will give a lighter, stronger and stiffer ski.

d- Epoxy gives an excellent bond to many surfaces including steel and aluminum.

And we could go on and on but it’s these type of things that eliminate a tremendous amount of trial and error when we develop products.

When we take a ski into production, we already know what its physical and performance characteristics will be and this is where repeatability becomes critical. In other words, I know that in “sane” manufacturing if I repeat the same process over and over with the same material, the results will be the same every time. So we write two specifications. “SMS” or Standard Material Specifications” and “SPS” or Standard Process Specifications” Now we have a product that is guaranteed to be the same at serial #1 as at #10,000 and if we have a problem, we can track it back and see what really happened and in the world of composites, that is usually very easy to do. Basically, it’s “QUALITY CONTROL”