Usage of Glass Fiber/Fiberglass

Fiberglass is one of the main material of GRP. It is widely in many fields. GRP is used extensively in aviation and aerospace though it is not widely used for primary airframe construction, as there are alternative materials which better suit the applications. Typical GRP applications are: engine cowlings, luggage racks, instrument enclosures, bulkheads, ducting, storage bins and antenna enclosures. It is also widely used in ground-handling equipment.

For those who love automobiles, the 1953 model Chevrolet Corvette was the first production car to have a fibreglass body. As a body material, GRP has never succeeded against metal for large production volumes.

However, fiberglass has a big presence in the replacement body parts, custom and kit auto markets. Tooling costs are relatively low as compared with metal press assemblies, and ideally suit smaller markets.

Since that first dinghy in 1942, this is an area where fibreglass is supreme. Its properties are ideally suited to boat building. Although there were problems with water absorption, modern resins are more resilient, and the composites continues to dominate the marine industry. In fact, without GRP, boat ownership would never have reached the levels it has today, as other construction methods are simply too expensive for volume production and not amenable to automation.

GRP is widely used for circuit board manufacture (PCB's) – there is probably one within six feet of you now. TVs, radios, computers, cellphones – GRP holds our electronic world together.

Almost every home has GRP somewhere – whether in a bathtub or a shower tray. Other applications include furniture, and spa tubs.

How much GRP do you think there is in Disneyland? The cars on the rides, the towers, the castles – so much of it is based on fiberglass. Even your local fun park probably has water slides made from the composite. And then the health club – do you ever sit in a Jacuzzi? That’s probably GRP as well.

Because of its low porosity, non-staining and hard wearing finish, GRP is ideally suited to medical applications, from instrument enclosures to X-ray beds (where X-ray transparency is important).

Most people who tackle DIY projects have used fibreglass at one time or another. It is readily available in hardware stores, easy to use (with a few health precautions to be taken), and can provide a really practical and professional looking finish.

Building 100’ wind turbine blades is a major growth area for this versatile composite, and with wind energy a massive factor in the energy supply equation, its use is certain to continue to grow.

GRP is all around us, and its unique characteristics will ensure that it remains one of the most versatile and easy to use composites for many years to come.

 

Purchasing Fiberglass Chopped Strand Mat, please focus on Sichuan Sincere & Long-term Complex Material Co., Ltd, and contact email: fred@chinaweibo.com.cn or chat on Skype: fred.wei08