UWE Bristol Engineering showcase 2015

Jack Bevan
Mechanical engineering
Project supervisor
Dr Tushar Dhavale
Snowboard layup design and performance.
An investigation has been accomplished, which assessed the current state of snowboard design and the extent to which it has
developed since its genesis. The focal point and end goal was to establish the way in which the layup of a snowboard affects how the
board rides. Research was done into the key component parts of board manufacture, and it was discovered that each element
performed a very specific and individual role. These roles were further explored and it was found that the effect of each component part
was very noticeable and is highly considered by the manufacturer during the design of a snowboard.
The project was aimed towards studying the stiffness of the board (considered by some to be the life of the board) and studying the
difference in the stiffness or ‘pop’ of various board styles and ages. This greatly determines how the board performs and what the board
is specialised for. Looking to the future of the project and the second year of study to come, it is intended that more attention will be
paid to some of the other aspects of the boards, and their role in the boards’ performance.
Finally the overall aim of this project would be to design and manufacture a physical snowboard as a finished product that encapsulates
all of the knowledge gained though testing, design simulations and experiments over the course of this 18 month dissertation.
The process of bringing a series of component parts together to create a snowboard and applying resin in preparation for it to go into a
heated press.