Composites Design & Engineering

Composites: The best choice of material

Composite materials, or Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP), are the absolute best choice for saving weight, and in many cases even cost in your product or construction.

Cost savings by using Composites

The price of normal construction steel per volume (so not per kilogram) is generally 3 times higher than that of glass fiber reinforced plastics.

In addition, Fiber Reinforced Plastics can be easily as strong as construction steel. 

Material Knowledge

Every composite combination of fibers and resin is different. Although most certification institutes will require actual material testing, RS Designs can perform an approximation of the material properties, based on Classical laminate theory, which will predict the mechanical properties.

An easy method to reduce weight in a construction is the sandwich panel solution. A 10mm sandwich panel can equivalate the bending stiffness of a 5 times heavier steel plate with 5mm thickness.

The laminate layup or stackup optimization tool will help optimizing either mass, or cost, or both, in your product.

Manufacturing Understanding

RS Designs can design for all manufacturing methods for composites:

•   RTM

•   RIM-infusion

•   Hand lay-up

•   Spray-up

Material coupon testing

RS Designs has experience in material testing support. Critical item in this is the manufacturing of the samples. Furthermore the statistical processing plays an important role, as well as the material selection.