Switch Labs

[Gigi;)]

This one shows more of the line weak point not the metal part

Here's the new swivel and test. Looks great but I wonder about the narrow design being able to untwist lines under less load on much longer lines making the twist higher and with lless resistance.
https://vimeo.com/78874629

[Hansen Design]

Hi Gigi:
The lab testing purpose is to properly determine utimate strength and failure modes in a controlled environment rather than at the beach.

[quote="Gigi;)"]This one shows more of the line weak point not the metal part

[Gigi;)]

I totally agree!

But for me would be more interested to test when will actual swivel will break, because obviously the knot/loop in the flying line is a week point. So, the test with strong (metal) line would be nice to see for me. I'm sure that you know what I mean

Hi Gigi:
The lab testing purpose is to properly determine utimate strength and failure modes in a controlled environment rather than at the beach.

This one shows more of the line weak point not the metal part

[Rando1994]

The point of showing component failures is to show how, as a system, the unit fails. And more importantly, under what load. If the swivel never fails in the component test, but the lines do, then the test illustrates perfectly what the failure load is for the part of the assembled component. If you only tested the swivel, the data would be irrelevant because the weaker link, the line, is what will fail first under all conditions.

[Tiago1973]

my leash does not fail so much because it breaks but through the carabiner (slowly opens)

[Hansen Design]

@ Gigi - Yes, total destructive testing would be fun except for the shrapnel flying around the Lab! FYI, if you look closely, you will notice the swivel was anchored with 3mm braided dyneema instead of flying lines. Clearly the swivel is well up to the task.

@ Rando1994 - Exactly!

@ Tiago1973 - The leash attachment components are being tested.

Here is another interesting test on flying line pigtail construction: spliced dyneema vs. sleeved/sewn loops. http://vimeo.com/78877819

[GregK]

Thanks, Bill for posting the video. I'm more than ready for kiting to be done with its anti-tech attitude.

Very interesting test and results. Great to see some comparative numbers for the strength of kite line terminations, sewn/sleeved loops versus bare spliced loops.

Interesting where the failure occurred in the sewn loop, looks like just below the start of the sleeving, I would not have suspected the failure there, would have thought the stitching holding the sleeving together would let go first.

Failure point on the spliced loop looks like it was at the kiteline loop, yes ? Hard to hit pause at just the right point to freeze it at rupture. Did it fail right at the end-point of the loop, crushed by the loop of the heavier pigtail ?

Looks like you are testing Switch white front flying line, rated at 395 daN or about 400 kg. Are the 263 & 305 kg load failures shown lower than the line's load rating from the high strain rate of the test ? Looked like a pretty fast test.

Are the single tests shown representative of the average strength of each termination method under test ? Always a problem with doing tests like this, one, two, or even three tests of a configuration will give you an idea what ball-park you are in, but to know with any certainty or an acceptable standard of deviation, you have to run a bunch through testing.

Still, great to see some real quantitative testing - thank you !!

[Starsky]

[quote="Hansen Aerosports"]

3) Construction - In sail and kite production, proven construction is mostly from experience as to what does or doesn't work. Most modern-day kites adhere to these tried and true ways. We can and do build test kites and send them out for abusive testing by team riders. But, our lab testing shows conclusively what is strong and what is not. We have found profound differences in seam strength related to stitch type and width, substrate gluing procedures, reinforcements and thread type which would be unobvious to the casual observer and unlikely to show quickly (or even after a year) in a test kite. Sometimes removing a bar tack or switching from 3-step to two rows of 1-step zig-zag makes a huge difference in failure and the forces required to cause it. Some constructions may prove to be OK but a slight change may make them 'bombproof.' Our lab testing actually shows the difference so we can make it so./quote]


This stuff alone is absolutely what I want my kite manufacturer to be figuring out. Definitely more persuasive than even the hottest of bikini saturated lifestyle oriented promo videos. I'm still gonna enjoy the bikinis, but your brand is earning its spot on my demo list.

[KiteCulture]

Starsky…there are several of us in our location with kites to demo. Just let us know!
talk soon

[BigPaul]

Starsky I'm in full agreement with you. although I would listen a lot harder if they did do the testing using a hot bikini cald lady