Fiberglass Chopped Strand Mat Wets out with Epoxy

Fiberglass Chopped strand mat, in fabric form, it is made up of 1"-2" long fiberglass strands that are randomly oriented and typically held together with a styrene-soluble binder that acts like glue connecting the fibers. The binder is designed to dissolve upon contact with styrene in polyester resin or vinyl ester resin. Once dissolved, the fabric softens, allowing it to drape around curved shapes. It comes in a variety of weights between .75 oz to 3 oz per square foot. The most popular weights are .75 oz and 1.5 oz.

In the US, fiberglass chopped strand mat is nearly always sold or specified in ounces per square foot. This is different than fiberglass cloth and fiberglass fabrics with oriented fiber layers (including woven cloth, stitched biaxial & triaxial fabrics, and the like). These are designated in ounces per square yard. When the mat is attached to any of these fabrics (as in fabmat or biaxial with mat), the combined fabric is often called out in fabric weight. An example of this is our 738 Biaxial Fabric, which is a 1508 biaxial fabric with mat. This means 15 oz per sq yard of biaxial fabric plus an attached 0.8 oz per sq foot layer of mat.

Can epoxy be used to wet out chopped strand mat? The answer is yes. The fiberglass strand in mat wets out with epoxy, but the binder holding things together does not dissolve. (It does get put into suspension and is sealed in the cured epoxy.) This undissolved binder causes the wet-out mat to remain a bit stiff compared to wet out with a styrene-based resin. For gently curving or flat projects like cabin soles or plywood decks, mat and epoxy should work fine. The fabric does not wet out perfectly clear with epoxy. Wet-out clarity of mat with epoxy varies somewhat with different suppliers, but none of them wet out as clear as a good 4 oz or 6 oz fiberglass cloth.

The texture of the chopped strand mat is quite rough given its random fibers (many of which come loose when epoxy is applied). Mat requires a number of coats of epoxy to fill the profile at the surface. Release Fabric can be applied over the freshly wet-out mat to compress the fibers and minimize the need for many of the buildup coats. Using release fabric in this way will result in a much smoother surface, and if you are going to allow the epoxy to cure before continuing, the surface is ready for buildup coats of epoxy or fairing putty after the release fabric is removed.

Plastic sheeting can also be used over the still uncured epoxy and mat to compress the fibers. Trapped air bubbles can be removed by piercing or slitting the plastic over the bubble before the epoxy begins to cure. If the plastic was clean when it was applied, you can pull the plastic after the epoxy cures to a hard gel and apply epoxy fairing putty or buildup coats of epoxy later the same day. If you allow the epoxy to cure hard before pulling the plastic, be sure to sand the surface completely dull before applying more epoxy.

When choosing chopped strand mat to be used with epoxy, look for mat that is soft and pliable. Some forms are quite stiff and may cause problems wetting out with epoxy. Stiff mat is often older stock and the fibers may take more time to wet out with epoxy.

Fiberglass Pipe Production Process

GRP pipes are produced by either the Continuous Filament Winding or by the Reciprocal Helical Winding process. Both are considered as filament winding machines, which is the process of impregnating a number of glass reinforcement with resin, then applying the wet fibers onto a mandrel in a prescribed patter.

Continuous Filament Winder: A continuous winder is composed of a continuous steel band supported by beams which form a cylindrically shaped mandrel. The beams rotate, friction pulls the band around and roller bearings allow the band to move longitudinally so that the entire mandrel continuously moves in a spiral path toward the end of the machine.

As the mandrel moves, raw materials, like glass fibers, resin, aggregate (if needed) and surface veil are metered on in precise amounts under the direction of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and computer (PC). After pipe is cured a synchronized saw unit cuts the pipe to the proper length.

Continuous winding process is considered as the most efficient, since once pipe production starts, as described above, the production process continues and would only stop at the completion of full order. This process is considered continuous since it does not hold and resume at the completion of each pipe or pipe layer.

Reciprocal Helical Winding: is the process where the glass rovings, continuous roving specifically, passes though a resin bath for resin impregnation. Resin bath and glass directing comb are placed on a carriage that is driven back and forth at a very well controlled linear speed. Fiberglass, pre-impregnated with resin, are winded on steel mandrel that is rotating at determined RPM. The synchronization of carriage linear speed as well as the mandrel RPM determines the angle of which roving are winded on the mandrel, which is considered to be the glass winding angle, that is redetermined depending on the pipe requested property. For this reason, both the mandrel RMP and carriage speed are very well controlled by a computer program.

In this process, winding progress is in stages, were multiple linear movement of carriage would produce one layer of pipe thickness, and pipe thickness is composed of multiple layers, depending on required total thickness.

   

For all processes, GRP pipes are made from many layers, the main layers are:

- Inner liner, which is rich with resin and is to provide chemical resistance to the pipe and well as well as smooth inner surface. Inner liner thickness that could reach up to 2.5 mm

- Structure layer, which is forming the majority of pipe thickness. Pipe mechanical strength is mainly achieved by the structural layer.

- Outer liner, which is as well rich with resin and is to give environmental protection to the pipe thickness.

GLASS FIBER REINFORCED PIPES INTRODUCTION

What is GRP PIPES? Glass Reinforced Pipes (GRP) Pipes are made from glass fiber reinforcements that are embedded in cured thermosetting resin. GRP Pipes may contain aggregate granular.

The selection of proper material as well as material composition depends on the pipe required properties and as well as designed performance characteristics.

GRP pipes were introduced since 1948. Since then GRP invaded the market due to its corrosion resistance capabilities and were selected as alternative to steel and stainless steel pipes.

GRP pipe line expanded to include applications of high pressure, as well as big range of diameters reaching up to 4000 mm.

GRP pipes combine the benefits of durability, strength, and corrosion resistance; moreover, they offer great design flexibility with the possibility to customize the pipe design in a wide range of properties, the same is applicable to providing a wide range of different fittings profile and shape.

Materials:  

GRP pipes consist of:

Glass Fiber Reinforcement: the mechanical strength of GRP pipes depends on the amount, type and arrangement of glass reinforcement.

The common glass types used in the GRP pipes are:

Fiberglass Reinforcements are available in different forms:

Continuous Roving, consisting of bundled, untwisted, strand. It provides excellent mechanical properties.

Fiberglass Chopped Strand Mat, consisting of chopped strands held together with binder. It is used to provide multidirectional reinforcement in pipes as well as fittings

Surface Veil, are of light weight that allow high resin content layers, that helps in improving the environmental resistance of pipes and fittings, in addition to smooth surface.

 

Resins: only thermosetting resins are used in the production of GRP pipes. Thermoset resin are polymeric resin cured by heat or/and chemical additives.

Resins could be of two types:

- Polyester, such as Isophthalic, that is commonly used to manufacture large diameter pipes used for conveying water and sewage. Vinyl ester, is another polyester, but have increased corrosion resistance and is commonly used to convey aggressive fluids such as acids.

- Epoxy resins are commonly used to manufacture small diameter pipes to convey water, hydrocarbons, diluted acids, …

- Additional components might be used in the GRP pipes such as: Silica Sand, Organic Peroxides catalyst, hardeners and accelerators …Fiberglass Chopped Strand Mat

Globle Market Trend of FRP Pipe 2015-2020

According to latest research, the global FRP pipe market size in terms of value is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.5% between 2015 and 2020 to reach $4 billion by 2020.

The global FRP market, has witnessed a strong growth in the past few years. This growth is estimated to continue in the coming years due to increasing demand from Asia-Pacific. There are continues increasing demand from end-user industry from the emerging economies, such as China, Brazil and India and also from Middle East region. These are the major drivers as per the current market dynamics. Also, such demand is backed by increasing industrialization and government awareness towards water and waste water treatment. The superior mechanical and anti-corrosion properties, low conductivity, and longer lifecycles make FRP pipes a natural choice both for various applications. The North American and Rest of the World’s FRP pipe markets are expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.6-2.8% and 3.2-3.5% during 2015-2020.

Currently, Asia-Pacific is the largest consumer of FRP pipes and it will continue to drive the market. The major drivers of Asia-Pacific FRP pipe industry are growing investment towards urban infrastructure development, establishment and upgrade of airports, capacity expansion in petrochemical plants, and establishment of power plants. Increasing demand from replacement of existing metal pipe in oil and gas exploration activities to get rid of corrosion problems also drive the FRP pipe market Asia-Pacific region. Among all the countries in this region, China, Japan and India are important consumers of FRP pipe. China held the largest share in the regional consumption in terms of volume in 2014. The market size in terms of volume is comparatively low in the RoW, but is estimated to have a developing CAGR between 2015 and 2020 due to the increasing market share of Brazil and countries from Middle East region.

Almost 85% of the total FRP pipe demand in 2014 was from oil & gas, retail fuel, water & wastewater sewage, and chemical industries. This was due to their physical and mechanical properties such as superior anti-corrosion properties, low conductivity, and longer lifecycles of FRP pipes. A major application industry that uses FRP pipes is Oil & Gas which contributes major market share.

Asia-Pacific and European regions are the most active markets in terms of strategic initiatives, owing to their emerging and mature market demands, respectively. The superior end-user industry growth, amplified local manufacturing, and increased number of domestic players in vertical market segments, such as industrial applications in the Asia-Pacific region can be the important drivers in terms of consumption of the FRP pipes.

This article is from professional fiberglass chopped strand mat manufacturer WB Composites fiberglass website.

Fiberglass Roof Insulation Application

Fiberglass is one of the best material for insulation. Fiberglass insulation is manufactured in two forms, batt rolls and rigid boards. Fiberglass mat are more commonly used in residential construction, while rigid boards are used as a substrate for low-slope roof applications.

Rigid fiberglass insulation boards are composed of inorganic glass fibers and were first used in commercial roofing systems in 1941. No surface treatment is provided on the bottom of the insulation, while the top surface is faced with a glass fiber reinforced, asphalt kraft paper. The top surface treatment offers some impact resistance, while also providing a suitable mopping surface for conventional built-up roof applications.

Fiberglass insulation is dimensionally stable and will not expand with heat or swell when exposed to moisture. Additionally, fiberglass is flexible, chemically inert, and fire resistant. Its flexibility will allow the insulation to conform to minor deck irregularities when compared to other rigid, less flexible insulations. Fiberglass may be used as a thermal barrier over steel roof decks because of its excellent fire-resistance properties.

Fiberglass insulation is most prevalently used under built-up and modified bitumen roof systems. Its use with single-ply roof systems is rather limited due to its low compressive strength and the incompatibility of its asphalt kraft paper and pvc based single-ply sheet membranes. Because of its low compressive strength of 12 pounds per square inch, fiberglass insulation may not be suited for use on roofs subjected to concentrated or extensive foot traffic. However, fiberglass will accommodate normal maintenance traffic.

This article is from fiberglass chopped strand mat.

GRP Fibreglass Roofing Introduction

GRP fibreglass roofing system is an extremely popular alternative to traditional roof covering materials due to the advantages of seamless technology. These systems are largely installed onto domestic roofs and new build construction projects where a timber deck construction is specified.

GRP Fibreglass Roofs are extremely hard-wearing, can accept limited foot traffic loads and when required can be used on balcony and roof terrace applications. One of the main advantages with GRP roofing systems is the seamless joint free finish achieved by applying multiple layers of cold-applied resins which are reinforced by fibreglass chopped strand mat.

GRP roofs are particularly attractive in appearance and are available in a wide range of BS or RAL colours and bespoke finishes to suit the requirements of the client. Simulated lead roll effect roofs can also be achieved, this offers a cost-effective alternative to lead roofing with the advantage of no scrap value.

Key Benefits of GRP Fibreglass Roofing

Cold Applied, No Naked Flames.

Seamless Waterproofing, No Joins or Welds.

Can be applied on complex roof designs.

Variety of colour and finishes.

Tough, hardwearing.

Fully Reinforced.

Rapid curing.

Cool cure system can be applied at 0 degrees.

Fire Retardent.

4 Steps to Repair a Cracked Bathroom Shower Pan

Fiberglass bathroom shower pan is durable. However, when it cracked, you can to learn to repair it before you decide to replace it. It doesn't take much time and can save you a lot of money.

Step 1 - Sand

Lay a drop cloth to cover areas around the shower pan you do not want damaged. Use 80-grit sandpaper to smooth the surrounding area.

Step 2 - Cut the Patches and Apply Them

Purchase a repair kit from a home improvement store. Cut 3 fiber glass patches from the fiberglass cloth in your repair kit. Mix the resin and hardener from your kit according to the directions. Put 3 patches into the resin mixture. Remove the smallest patch from the mixture and place it on the crack. Next lay the second largest, then the third. Allow them to dry for 12 hours.

Step 3 - Sand Again

Sand the patches using 80-grit sandpaper. Use a putty knife to spread plastic filler from the kit evenly over the patched area and allow it to dry according to the directions. Use 80-grit sandpaper again to sand dried plastic filler.

Step 4 - Tint the Patch to Match the Surface

Use the tint from the kit to match the fiberglass. Apply a 1/8-thick layer with a paint roller over the cracked area. Cover the gel coating with plastic wrap for 12 hours.

This article is from: fiberglass chopped strand mat manufacturer ZCCY FIBERGLASS.