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| Issue 31 - Spring 2008 |
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Chairman's Corner
Composites are now widely used in the aerospace, automotive, railways, construction, electronics and sports equipment sectors. Many cross-country journeys in the UK and Europe will include several sightings of the circling composite blades of windpowered generators. Composites can be used for tooling, potentially offering advantages over other materials in terms of weight, strength and durability. They are also being utilised by machine manufacturers to help reduce wear on bearings, to improve efficiency and to reduce energy consumption. In announcing a conference on “Advanced composite materials” the New Civil Engineer noted the constant pressure on the construction industry to produce structures that are lighter, stronger and quicker to build. Exciting results have been achieved in bridges, buildings and other structures, but the potential for extensive implementation of composites remains largely untapped. Why should these materials claim the attention of engineers and designers? An important benefit is that many components and structures can be produced without supporting substructures. A correctly chosen combination of reinforcement and matrix can produce a composite which will bear loads directly. Composites offer: • Versatility – a wide range of applications and design opportunities; • Low weight – increased efficiency; • High stiffness/strength – fewer substructures; • Durability – fatigue, impact and environmental resistance; • Cost-effectiveness – innovative manufacturing solutions; • Quality – process and product reliability. As the range of products exploiting these advantages has broadened, manufacturing facilities have developed from an essentially jobbing shop approach to companies employing the full panoply of modern advanced production methods. Greater understanding of the technical benefits of composites should lead to increased consumption, higher production rates and potentially reduced costs. An overview of a range of some applications illustrates the versatility of these materials: wind turbine blades with a stiff multiaxial reinforced outer shell bonded to a loadbearing central spar of unidirectional composite; fully functional artificial joints and energy-storing feet for disabled people; a composite footbridge assembled in two weeks without use of a crane; and a composite aluminium/honeycomb bonded sandwich structure for a high performance automotive chassis. Applications will increase, and as outlined in this issue, the resources of the Welsh Composites Consortium, or the National Composites Network (info@ncn-uk.co.uk), are available to companies seeking expert advice and assistance to enable them to use composite materials effectively.
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©
Materials Network Wales 2005 | Last Updated: May 07 2008 | info@mnw.org.uk
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