Since mass-produced pultrusion techniques were first known, the transportation industry has used strengthened plastics utilizing glass fibers. Continuous strands of reinforced fabric were mixed with a liquid resin matrix to increase the material’s structural integrity and enable the fabrication of high-strength structural forms out of glass wool.
This special material offered the transportation industry acceptable strength-to-weight ratios with improved resistance to multiple corrosive environments. After learning this, commercial production of fiberglass composite boats and reinforced polymer aircraft fuselages was initiated shortly after.
How is Fiberglass Used?
Although steel and aluminum are still the two most used materials in the automotive sector, fiberglass goods are now often employed in the construction of vehicle superstructures. High-strength metals are typically used to produce the car’s mechanical parts and chassis. In contrast, diverse materials, such as fiberglass front ends, are frequently used in the bodywork to lower the vehicle’s weight profile without compromising its structural integrity.
Lightweight and Affordable
Moldings have been made from fiberglass materials for many years. It offers a cheap and lightweight answer to the growing market needs. Vehicles frequently have front, end, and door panels made of carbon fiber and fiberglass polymers from places such as Feather Lite Composites. This offers strong resistance to weathering factors and good impact resistance.
Crash Protection
Increasingly, reinforced polymer materials, including fiberglass front ends, are being employed to produce crash prevention systems and structural reinforcements. Chrysler, for instance, has been building a supporting beam for a blow-molded plastic gasoline tank using fiberglass goods. It benefitted from the material’s superior thermal properties and corrosion resistance.
