Credit: Gonzalo Facello Via Pexels
If you’ve ever taken a good look at some of the standard products that you use every day and wondered how they are made, one of the things you might look for is the materials from which they are composed. While you may be able to identify common metals, glass and perhaps even plastics, you’ll probably also encounter others that are less unfamiliar.
Unless you’re familiar with the manufacture of consumer goods, the chances are that these basic building blocks you can’t identify are likely composite materials. You also probably don’t realize how often they are used everyday consumer goods.
What are Composite Materials?
A composite combines two or more other substances to create a synthesis that is improved in some way that is not achievable using a simple element. The main reason that new composite materials are created is that manufacturers are always looking to improve the quality of existing and innovative products.
If that sounds complicated, it is because it isn’t easy to create innovative materials that exhibit brand new qualities. In light of this fact, here is a list of 5 of the most common retail products use composite materials, which will provide concrete examples of composite materials in use.
Sports Equipment
Sports equipment is constantly being improved upon to enable humans to achieve new heights. One of the greatest assets in this ambition has been to replace materials used to manufacture items like tennis racquets and golf clubs with materials that are better suited to their use.
A few of the main advantages of using composites in sports equipment are that these materials are
- Lightweight
- Resistant to Corrosion
- Better Stability
Military Equipment
It is the goal of military professionals to always remain at the forefront of technology. For this reason, composite materials are developed for use on military vehicles, such as aircraft, to make them weigh less while maintaining similar levels of durability and protection. Military combat helmets and armour also contain composite and plastic fabrications for the same reason.
Boating
Since fibreglass is a composite material, it is easy to see how the marine craft industry has benefitted from producing and implementing such materials. Before fibreglass was introduced to boat building, marine vehicles were usually made of wood. Fibreglass quickly became the dominant replacement for wood because it is
- More Durable
- Waterproof (When a Gelcoat is in Use)
- Much Less Expensive
Because fibreglass can be poured into a mould, it is easy to quickly create a boat’s hull and shape it in any way you prefer. Fibreglass is stronger than wood, so it also allows for a thinner hull, resulting in more space inside the cabin of a boat.
Construction
The range of composite products used in construction is enormous because more robust and lightweight materials are always desirable when building structures. Some of the most common of these include:
- Bathtubs
- Roofing Components
- Pools
- Doors
- Panelling
Since composite materials tend to be highly versatile and affordable, their use in everyday products is only expected to grow. Now that you have a better sense of what products employ composites materials, you’ll have a better sense of what you might require if manufacturing any of these types of products. For more information, contact a composites manufacturer today.
