Which key will withstand more stress, the newer

composites fiberglass or the older plastic?

We used four tests to determine this:
Laundry Test
Three-Point Bending Test
Hot/Cold Test
Torsion Test
 If we make the keys out of a stiffer, or more
flexible, material such as fiberglass or different
plastics, then the keys will be less likely to break.
Hypothesis

We predict that the fiberglass key will withstand

the most stress and outlast any of the other
types of keys.
 Keys were developed over 3500 years ago
Keys are tools used for opening locks
The oldest known lock is estimated to be 4000
years old
People first started trying to improve keys in
1778
Materials List
Fiberglass Composite
Hot Water
Plastic
Resin
Hardening agent
Sand paper
Freezer
Tape
Breather
Wrapping
Materials List Cont.

Ban saw
Release Film
Scissors
Marker
Tongue depressors
Paper Cup
Scale
Procedure

1. Select composite materials and prep tool

2. Calculate and mix resin and hardening agent
3. Mix resin mixture with fiberglass
4. Make bag for composites
5. Leave out to cure for at least 24 hours
6. Cut out and sand keys
7. Test new composite keys
Procedure
Laundry Test

We sent a key through the laundry to find

out how it would hold up, and if it would still
be in usable condition.
Hot & Cold Test

To simulate weather conditions in either Winter

or Summer, we are going to freeze the cards and
bend them. As well as heating them up in hot
water and bending them.
Three Point Bending Test

A test in which the edges of the card are held

and pressure is added to the center to see
how much the key can bend before it breaks.
Torsion Test

The torsion test will show how durable the side

strengths are and to simulate your card being
put in your pocket long ways to bend it around
your hip. The torsion test is just another test
used to identify the flexibility and durability of a
key in a different manner.
 Data/Results

Our key cards have some of the same properties

of the plastic cards.
The fiberglass keys and the plastic keys seemed
to be equal in all the tests.
The only real difference found is in the way the
key looks.
Conclusion

Our keys work as actual keys, but they arent any

better than the keys already in use.
This project helped us to learn about new and
different possibilities that could be used in future
testing.
Future Study

Other things we would like to test are:

Different materials for the keys such as:
-Kevlar (Impact Resistance)
-Graphite
-Metal
Acknowledgements

Thanks To
Mrs. Morgan
Mrs. Scott
Ms. Miller
Mr. Eddy
Mrs. Gallegos
Mr. Smith
Sources

http://www.tillwite.com/about_keys_locks.asp
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bll
ock.htm
http://science.jrank.org/pages/3989/Lock-Key-
History.html
http://www.plasticsmag.com/article_images/Tec
hnological%20Bend%20Test.JPG
Questions