The Rise of Composite Materials
Composite materials are increasing with popularity on a regular basis. Innovators are constantly coming up with great new ways to use composites. Composites are a lighter and stronger alternative to many materials. They are being used in so many ways and have become so popular that JEC Composites hosts a composites show all around the world. International buyers and suppliers come to the event to see what new innovations are being manufactured. The show is a great platform for composite like ASC Process Systems. Companies like these get a chance to showcase their products and demonstrate their software advances.
Not only is composite equipment showcased, but brilliant advancements in composite materials are unveiled. One of the great innovations showcased at the 2011 JEC Composites Show was the Wind Explorer, a pilot vehicle with 2 seats. The car is an electromobile and its body is composed of carbon fiber composite, weighing about 440 pounds. The Wind Pilot has a range of 248.5 miles per battery charge. It was put to the test by being driven across Australia relying mostly on wind energy. The battery is charged by a mobile wind turbine and electricity is only used as a last resort. Lightweight innovations like this one are becoming more popular as we keep looking for alternate energy sources.
A composite is a material made of more than one component made by man. Modern composites are usually made of two components, a fiber and matrix. The fiber component of the material is known as the reinforcement. In some mixtures, fibers aren’t lined up and are laying in many different directions or all jumbled up. In other mixtures fibers are all lined up in the material. This makes the material stronger in the direction in which the fibers are aligned but weak in the direction going against the fibers. Some materials only need to be strong in one direction so this can be a benefit. For materials that need to be strong in more than one direction, the fibers are pointed in different directions, or woven. The matrix component holds the fibers together and adds toughness to the material.
The curing of composites requires the compacting of the plies of material, then pressing this material against the mold, forcing out volatiles and excess resin, and holding everything motionless during the entire cure cycle. Using an autoclave, the structural adhesive bonding forces the parts together and holds them while the adhesive cures. Unlike a press, the autoclave applies pressure uniformly irrespective of the shape of the workload. Processing by autoclave is far more costly than oven heating and is therefore generally used only when isocratic pressure must be applied to a workload of comparatively complex shape.
When it comes to light weight structural components composites are the future. Composites are now being used for aerospace components where weight and strength are critical factors. These factors determine the development of aircraft for aerospace companies world-wide. The Boeing 787 is composed of more composites than any other Boeing commercial plane before it. Composites have been found to reduce maintenance in the high tension-loaded area of the fuselage. Composites also make up many of the things around us. Baseball bats, bicycle frames, bathtubs, and counter tops are just a few examples. No one knows exactly where the future of composites will lead us but, the possibilities are endless!
