Features Road Tech: Inside Giant's Taiwan bike factory, part two By Jonny Irick published 6 May 2014 Exclusive look at how manufacturer builds carbon fiber frames, step by step Comments Image 1 of 88Pre-preg sheets are automatically fed into one end of the machine and then a stamp trims off a chunk(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Individual pieces are carefully labeled. Each one serves a specific purpose so it's critical that they're properly identified(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Duh, of course the mouse pad is made of carbon fiber(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A standard iron softens the pre-preg carbon fiber pieces to make them a little easier to handle(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Needless to say, workers had better read carefully before depositing carbon fiber pieces in here(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Stamps are carefully labeled. Based on what's written here, Giant uses different shapes of materials for each size of frame, not just different frame models(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Once cut, carbon fiber pieces are catalogued into little bins(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Daily production is tracked on a number of white boards scattered throughout the factory(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Key areas are checked with a go/no-go gauge to ensure that mating components will fit properly(Image credit: Jonny Irick)This stamp looks to be for a bottom bracket shell(Image credit: Jonny Irick)The Giant factory churns out a lot of frames - and a lot of different models. The number of different individual pieces of carbon that needs to be tracked is simply staggering. See all of those little colored tags? Each one holds a specific size/shape/weave of carbon fiber(Image credit: Jonny Irick)This build board is one of two required for a Giant Defy Advanced bottom bracket shell(Image credit: Jonny Irick)This is one of the secrets of Giant's world renowned carbon frame production. Most frame assemblies are depicted on these build boards, which organize all of those little pieces of carbon fiber into a visually intelligible layout. Each board contains pieces required for a specific frame section along with brief guidelines for where each piece is supposed to go(Image credit: Jonny Irick)We've already pointed out the enormous number of individual pieces of carbon fiber that need to be organized in the Giant factory on a daily basis. However, look at the shelves overhead, too. They're absolutely loaded with additional build boards that weren't in use on that particular day(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Complete build boards are loaded into rack for transport to the next station. The carts are sealed up before leaving this climate controlled room to help keep the carbon from curing prematurely(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Build boards are filled in assembly line-style. Thanks to the build board concept, it's easy to see if a piece is missing(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Every room that handles uncured carbon fiber is controlled for temperature and humidity(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A carbon fiber fork in progress. This one will eventually be mated to an aluminum steerer tube(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Reinforcing inserts are used in the head tube ends just like in the bottom bracket shells(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Some frame sections are built straight from bins(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Frame sections must fall within a narrowly defined weight bracket. Failing this step can suggest any number of defects(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Frame sections look pretty good straight out of the mold but there's still a fair bit of finish work to be done(Image credit: Jonny Irick)The start of a carbon fiber bottom bracket shell(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Each individual piece of carbon fiber is cut using a dedicated stamp. As the Giant factory produces carbon fiber frame not only for its own label but several others, there are hundreds of different stamps stored here(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A heat gun improves the pliability of the uncured carbon pre-preg sheet so that it can be wrapped around the head tube(Image credit: Jonny Irick)This cart transports frame molds into and out of the banks of ovens(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Completely laid-up frame sections are sandwiched inside these massive steel clamshell molds for curing(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Each clamshell mold only holds two or three frame pieces. In other words, it's far from a one-shot process(Image credit: Jonny Irick)After they're loaded up and closed, molds are shuttled down these rollers on to an automated cart (not shown)(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Cured frame sections are then sent down these rollers for the first round of finish work(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Tools of the trade(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Different types of carbon fiber pre-preg sheet are queued up on this rotating rack(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Empty molds are first sprayed with a release agent so that the pieces can be more easily removed after curing(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Each carbon fiber frame is composed of hundreds of individual pieces of material. Larger sheets are cut into those puzzle pieces here(Image credit: Jonny Irick)These fillers will become invisible once the paint is applied. If anything, it'd be more noticeable if they weren't used(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Various ancillary frame mold pieces waiting for their turn in the oven(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Drilling fixtures are used to guarantee the exact position of various mounting holes. Here, a worker drills the holes for a Shimano Di2 battery mount(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A rack of Giant TCR Advanced SL seat tube/bottom bracket/ISP assemblies en route to the next stage of processing(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Checking bladders for leaks(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Mold flashing is flicked off with a common file. Don't fret - you'd be surprised how tough the surface is(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Rotary tools are used for finer work(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A continuous drip of water minimizes the amount of carbon dust kicking around(Image credit: Jonny Irick)It's much easier to drill these holes before the frame is assembled, when the pieces are more readily handled and manipulated(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Jigs are adjustable for different size frames(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A lot of work goes into making mold seams disappear beneath the paint(Image credit: Jonny Irick)More finish work, this time inside a bottom bracket shell(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Frames are loaded into jigs for consistent seat tube cuts. Watch your fingers(Image credit: Jonny Irick)First coats of paint(Image credit: Jonny Irick)The direction of the fibers on these dropout pieces isn't done by accident. Even carbon fiber dropouts require some engineering so that they're sufficiently strong and no heavier than necessary(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A front triangle in progress(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Long-nosed pliers help feed the bladders through the front triangle(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A place for everything and everything in its place(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Time to build up a head tube(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Head tube ends are reinforced with additional strips(Image credit: Jonny Irick)It's a shame that such handiwork is typically covered in paint(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Head tubes are subject to enormous stresses and utter catastrophe can result if they fail. Not surprisingly then, there's a lot of carbon fiber up here(Image credit: Jonny Irick)These bottom bracket shells are all laid up and ready to place into a mold. Note how areas subject to chain suck damage are additionally reinforced(Image credit: Jonny Irick)The Giant factory goes through a lot of inflatable bladders(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Silicone pre-forms for seat stay yokes(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Giant doesn't make a big deal of the fact that it uses both internal and external molds for its frames. The practice helps ensure accurate internal dimensions along with lightweight parts since there's little excess material in the finished product(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Various frame sections in progress. Silicone internal molds are separated in the blue bins below(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Housing guides ready to be bonded and riveted in place(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Note how the pieces of carbon fiber are laid over an internal mold for a more exact shape(Image credit: Jonny Irick)You can't just plunk frame sections into a mold and shut the lid. Tube ends have to sealed up for the bladders to work and various blocks need to be bolted in place(Image credit: Jonny Irick)The silicone internal mold at left will stay inside the head tube during the curing process but the top tube and down tube stubs inserted in the ends will be removed once the lay-up is complete(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Joints are wrapped with rubber and tape to smooth the glue out on the surface(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A build board for a section of Giant's flagship TCR Advanced SL road frame(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Carbon fiber dropouts are often taken for granted but they're rather intricate little pieces that require a lot of work(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Workers apply more glue than is needed to ensure adequate coverage(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Frame sections are glued together in this room(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Cell ÿ(Image credit: Jonny Irick)One final strip of carbon fiber is applied to finish off each joint(Image credit: Jonny Irick)One, two, three, four, five (Image credit: Jonny Irick)Freshly glued frames are loaded into alignment jigs(Image credit: Jonny Irick)A variety of metal forms help with the initial assembly of various frame sections, such as this non-driveside chain stay(Image credit: Jonny Irick)These steel inserts are used inside bottom bracket shells to produce accurate sockets for press-fit bearing cups(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Any frame section that will eventually see a press-fit part much be suitably reinforced. This assembly will eventually bolster a bottom bracket shell(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Another drilling fixture, this time for Giant's RideSense wireless cadence sensor(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Yet more surface sanding. The water flowing down the walls reduces the amount of carbon dust floating in the air(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Frame sections fit together like puzzle pieces - very expensive puzzle pieces, that is(Image credit: Jonny Irick)Few companies are so open about it but yes, fillers are occasionally used to fill in minor surface imperfections. It's for this reason that you rarely see bare clearcoat finishes on mass produced carbon frames(Image credit: Jonny Irick)