Reinforced plastic continued processes

Glass fibres dominate this field either as long continuous fibres (several centimetres long), which are hand-laid with the thermoset precursors, e.g., phenolics, epoxy, polyester, styrenics, and finally cured (often called fibre glass reinforcement plastic or polymer (FRP)). With thermoplastic polymers, e.g., PP, short fibres (less than 1 mm) are used. During processing with an extruder, these short fibres orient in the extrusion/draw direction giving anisotropic behaviour (properties perpendicular to the fibre direction are weaker). 

Domier has developed a production route for continuous fiber-reinforced ceramics based on the impregnation and pyrolysis of Si-polymers. This process is related to the manufacturing of fiber-reinforced plastics and allows the cost-effective production of large and complex CMC-structures. 

HTPC (Hybrid ThermoPlastic Composite) bumper beams made by Plastic Omnium are used by General Motors on the Pontiac Montana, Chevrolet Venture and Oldsmobile Silhouette. Continuous woven fibres are overmoulded with a long or short fibre reinforced polypropylene to save weight (6 kg), enhance impact resistance (20-40%) and integrate numerous functions such as reinforcement ribs. The process is fully automated. 

Filament winding (FW) is a fabrication technique for forming reinforced plastic parts of high strength/modulus and lightweight. It is made possible by exploiting the remarkable strength properties of their continuous fibers or filaments encased in a matrix of a resinous material. For this process, the reinforcement consists of filamentous non-metallic or metallic materials processed either in fibrous or tape forms.488 489... 

Fig. 6 Processes of environment-conscious material design of precast lightweiht concrete reinforced with continuous fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) reinforcement...

With all types of plastics that include primarily RPs, an opportunity will always exist to optimize its use, since new and useful developments in materials, processing, and design continually are on the horizon requiring updates. Examples of these RP developments are in this book, providing past to fiature trends in the World of Reinforced Plastics. 

As the reinforced plastic industry worldwide continues to grow and expand its capabilities material wise, process wise, design wise, and product wise, so does the literature. This Third Edition of the Reinforced Plastics book and the Reinforced Plastics magazine published by Elsevier Advanced Technology provides important information. 

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