No matter which industry you are in, there has been an increase in references to “composite materials” over the past few decades. Indeed, many recent manufacturing breakthroughs have been made possible due to these seemingly-futuristic compounds, which might imply that this is all new technology. Despite the major advancements in materials engineering, composite materials actually go back a long way.
Composite materials are made up of two or more different materials that, when combined, create a material that is better than the sum of its parts. This new material has superior properties than each of the core materials – such as exceptional rigidity, weight, resistance, electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, or other sought-after properties. For example, a material with high compression strength could be combined with a material with high tensile strength to form a composite that is stronger in all directions – like reinforced concrete!
These advanced materials are widely used in construction and infrastructure, marine and naval architecture, automotive bodywork and prototyping, and even aerospace applications. The materials are nearly always planned with a particular use or advantages in mind, such as water-tightness, added strength, increased efficiency, or better durability.
Today, composites are used in nearly everything, from kitchen cabinets and bathtub to the stretches of deep space. Composite materials are found across the aerospace industry due to their combination of low-weight and high-strength properties. Synthetic resins and other chemical compounds have led to the development of a whole range of plastics with various properties.
This is an extract from a blog post by our vendor, Massivit. You can read more here about the history of composites and what they can do for the manufacturing industry. 3D Printing has helped bring forward advances in manufacturing with composite materials – which has also been evident in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries in industries like marine or aviation manufacturing.
To find out how we can optimise your manufacturing process, reach out to our team on support@cuttingedge.solutions to find out more.
