In this high-level engineering and materials science project, students investigate the design and performance of advanced sandwich panels using carbon-fiber composites. Through extensive research, they explore these high-performance panels’ structure, materials, and applications, focusing on honeycomb-core technology used in the aerospace, automotive, and defense industries. Students conduct a technical study to understand the advantages of composite structures—including weight reduction, stiffness, and impact resistance. Once the research phase is complete, students use ProjoTech’s special kit (CoreLite) and apply their knowledge by creating a 30×30 cm prototype panel utilizing the hand layup method with vacuum bagging, then finishing and polishing for a professional finish. The hands-on challenge involves producing three different panel types with identical parameters:

1. Solid carbon fiber
2. Carbon fiber with foam core
3. Carbon fiber with honeycomb core

The final stage involves real-world mechanical testing. Students submit all three prototypes to a third-party lab for performance testing and conduct a comparative analysis of the results to evaluate strength, stiffness, and failure behavior. This project combines composite manufacturing, experimental testing, and engineering analysis, giving students a deep, applied understanding of modern material technologies and their real-world applications.