Engineering Design of Surfboard Gen-Z Shark-Fins

Design
• Safety
Material • Environment
Friendly
I
N
N Costing Research
• Performance O
Design • User V
Friendly A
T
I
O
• Sustainability N
PLM • Market
Capture
Prototype Analysis
 Product Customer

Material Wants Needs

Durable Eco
Friendly Gen-Z
High Materials Performance
Maneuverability
Optimized
Rake Poor
Angle Experience Quality? Extreme
allows Research Surfing
Tighter & Fears
Pivot Turns Analysis
Design
Ideal Customer Substitutes
Generation-Z , who care for the Environment & Choosing Fins that are Cheap & a Hazard to
indulge in Extreme Surfing the Blue Ocean
 Material Ultra High Performance Fins Manufacturing
Fibre-Glass Fins 3D Printing
Expensive, but provides Cost Effective due to Small
Durability & High Size & Geometric Complexity
Performance of Fins

Surfboard Fins Preliminary

Market Survey (AUD)
• Kevlar Fins • Moulding
Fibre-Glass Fins

• Performance Pivot Fins • Investment

Core Fins Casting
Whiptail Fins

Raked Fins • Conventional

• Composite Fins
Machining
0 50 100 150 200
 Preliminary Fin Design Criteria

Utility of Fins

Stability
Resistant surface area,
stops board from
sliding sideways & Single Fin selected for
provides a pivot point
ensuring High Performance
for turning

Lift Optimization of Rake & Cant Angle

Provides speed & grip
to ensure Streamlined Flow & Good
Manoeuvrability
 Nomenclature : Geometry of Surf Fins
Base Flex Angle
Length connected to the fin system and sits Distortion of the fin from its original shape caused
flush with the base of the surfboard by lateral pressure during a maneuver

Foil Profile
Depth Cross-
Vertical section
length of through the
the fin fin and much
from the like an
fin base aerodynamic
aircraft wing

Cant Angle
Angle of the side fins measured from a Sweep / Rake Angle
vertical line perpendicular to the flat bottom Angle from the back of the base to the tip of the fin
surface of the board
 Iterative Design Refinement
G
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O O
P M
T E C
I T A
M R D
I Y
M
Z
M O
A
A D
T
T E
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R
N
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A
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 Raw Material (Glass Fibre) Production Process

Glass Fibre
Yarn Drawing
Light Weight

Recycling of
Material Feasible

High Strength
S-Glass Epoxy composite

Specific Gravity 1.95 Chemically Inert

in Salt Water
Tensile Strength 2350MPa
 Design for X

Manufacturability Inspection Assembly

• Thickness of Fin to • Accessibility for • Close Tolerancing

ensure optimal dimensional done on Mating
Stiffness inspection from Grooves to ensure
• Fillet Radius at Fin all sides proper
Tips • Non Destructive Interference-Fit
• Simple Shape of Evaluation also • No Fasteners
Mating Groove possible Used
 FMECA

Risk Priority Number (RPN) = Severity x Occurrence x Detection

Potential Current
Process Potential Failure Potential
Effect(s) of S O Process D RPN Recommended Action(s)
Function Mode Cause(s)
Failure Controls

Improper Fusin / Improper Operator Training Ensuring proper control by

Break through 7 3 3 63
Bonding of Material machine set up and Instructions Machine Software
3D Printing
Improper
Operator training Ensuring NDE Detection by
Porosity & Cracks Fracture 5 machine 3 3 45
and instructions X-Ray Inspection
parameters
Critical Dimensions Incompetence Operator training Making Inspection Check-
Inspection Snag
Missing Defects 6
of Inspector
4
and instructions
3 72
List
Not assembling with Improper
Assembly Surfboard
Useless Product 7
Tolerance
3 In Line Inspection 4 84 GDNT Principles Applied
 Finite Element Analysis (Prototype Simulation)

Software
Abaqus/CAE Learning Ed. 2022

Von Mises Stress - Ductile Failure Analysis

It states that a body will yield if the stress
components acting on it are greater than this
threshold

Inference of Simulation
• Surfboard Operates at around 5 m/s, and the
corresponding loads are applied as Boundary
Conditions
• Optimizing Design, in order to reduce Stress
Concentration
• Lowering of stress near the Mating Groove
leading edge location
 Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

Ensuring Proper Assembly by applying GDNT Principles

U+24C1
Design
Least material condition (LMC)

U+2316
Tooling
Position Avoid Offset Snags

Production U+27C2 Ensuring Proper

Perpendicularity Assembly
U+2313 Ensuring Proper
Inspection Measurement of Profile Assembly
 Prototype by 3D Printing

FlashPrint (.gx) File Prototype

FLASHFORGE Finishing /
GUIDER IIs (3D Printer) Deburring /
Print Time : 4 Hrs ASA
Part Weight : 55g
Polishing Operation Rake Angle 33.7°
Industrial-Grade Accuracy
Layers : 116 Cant Angle 4°
and Quality For Minimizing Drag
Steps : 1115
 Project Budgeting

• Powder Cost • Skilled Labour

• Operational Cost
Cost • Inspection &
• Machine Testing Cost
Maintenance Raw • Repair Cost
Assembly
Material
&
&
Testing
Fabrication

Delivery Packaging

• Logistics for E-
Commerce & • Ergonomics
Transportation &
Packaging Cost
 DISCUSSION
An Iterative Product Design Methodology was followed along with Agile Management Principles to
deliver a High Performance & Durability, Glass-Fibre Fins for Surfboards. Optimization with respect to
Design Parameters & Material selection yielded the presented design. Cost Considerations & Rapid
Manufacturing needs were kept in mind to come up with the Ideal Fabrication Strategy.

REFERENCES
• Luís F. M. Pinto. (n.d.). SURFERTODAY. Retrieved from surfertoday.com:
https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/what-are-the-best-fins-for-your-surfboard
• Novak, J. I. (2021). A Parametric Method to Customize Surfboard and Stand Up Paddle Board Fins for
Additive Manufacturing. Computer-Aided Design & Applications, 297-308