Midwest Composites

How composites improves the application of green & renewable energy.

Sunil Raaj — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 09:35:26 +0000

Renewable energy is at the forefront of all major economies’ energy policies. It not only helps to minimize reliance on fossil fuels, but it also helps to lessen negative environmental and economic impacts.

Carbon dioxide, which is pumped into the atmosphere by companies, particularly the power industry, accounts for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The combustion of fossil fuels in the creation of power and heat in many sectors are major producers of carbon dioxide gas.

The emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide is a key contribution to climate change. Power generation emits a considerable quantity of carbon dioxide, which totaled 33.3 billion tones in 2019. Despite the large number, there was not an increase above power generating emissions in 2018, which broke the prior rising trend in emissions.

Global greenhouse gas emissions by sector

The global expansion in renewable energy transitions was primarily responsible for the emissions stability. With this in mind, if we are to limit climate change, we must continue to boost worldwide renewable energy use.

Composite materials are made up of two or more constituent materials that have been mixed to form a material that is chemically and physically distinct from its constituents. Variations of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs), and glass-fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) are leaders in the ever-advancing materials engineering industries and are particularly notable for renewable energy architecture.

Reinforced polymers are manufactured using a fibre matrix comprising glass, carbon, natural, or other fibers infused into a polymer matrix such as epoxy or polyester. Our world is surrounded by composite goods, and many significant breakthroughs in the ballistic armour, aerospace, marine, automotive, and construction industries would not have been feasible without advanced composites.

Composites for Wind Energy

The lightweight and complex airfoil form of wind turbine blades has made composites a pioneer in this industry, with molds designed to produce blades with the least amount of work. At the moment, research and development efforts are focused on meeting the increasing size requirements for turbine and rotor blades in both land-based and off-shore systems.

Wind Turbine Farm

Composite materials are a natural fit for wind turbine applications due to their sheer size and demand. A wind turbine blade with a 50-meter span may weigh up to 40,000 pounds! Any attempt to minimize weight not only eases the burden on manufacturers, but also makes the turbine run more smoothly after it’s installed. Carbon fiber and glass-reinforced materials are used to achieve this reduced weight without jeopardizing the blades’ structural integrity.

Components must have great fatigue strength, be resistant to random loads and corrosion, be low-maintenance, and last for 30 years or more. The use of composite materials, on which manufacturing is now almost exclusively based, has alleviated concerns majority of these concerns. The major components are the blades, which are mostly made of glass-fiber, and their efficiency determines the turbine’s performance at the end. Because the turbines are made of lighter FRP materials, they may produce more power per unit volume, reducing their environmental effect.

With over 340,000 wind turbines on the earth and a total power capacity of 597 GW, wind power has become a globally popular renewable energy source. Wind power has a number of advantages over other renewable energy sources, including the fact that it does not require water and takes up very little lateral area. However, producing and transmitting energy resources that are both strong and environmentally friendly need an equally good material choice.

Composites that substitute some of the glass with carbon-fiber reinforcements can create the same blade with less fiber and resin than traditional all-glass designs, while enhancing blade stiffness, improving aerodynamics, and reducing the pressures imposed by the blades on the tower and hub. A carbon-fiber-based design can help improve the predictability of power input from the blades.

Composites for Solar Energy

We’ve reached a plateau in the history of solar panel design, which has seen many peaks and troughs. The development of photoelectric cells has slowed significantly. It’s an excellent example of technology that must wait for future advancements before moving forward. Consumer demand has been fueled by the availability of plug-and-play solar panels. This, in turn, fuels advancements in other fields, particularly panel design.

Glass and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) underlayment film are used in traditional panels. Today, composite materials are at the forefront of research into how to lower the cost of panels while increasing their efficacy. More panels per array and more effective light collecting are possible with lighter panels arranged in honeycomb patterns. Composite prototypes are up to 40% lighter and ten times more efficient than traditional materials. At scale, they could be a fraction of the cost to consumers as well.

Solar Panels made out of composite materials.

As per IEA, 114.9 GW of new solar power installations happened globally in 2019. The year 2019 shows a 12% growth over 2018 in terms of new installations. The solar energy constitutes around 3% of global electricity demand in 2019.

According to IEA, the new solar installations are expected to decline by 12% in 2020 as compared to 2019 installations, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The solar installations are estimated to rebound as majority of the projects in pipeline are financed and can start construction as the pandemic situation gets normal.

As PV, Solar Thermoelectric Generators (STEG), PV/T, and concentrated or conventional PV systems integrated with STEG, STC, and energy storage can lead to an increase in the electrical and thermal energy generated and in system lifetime. Hence PV-based configurations and hybrid systems demand increased.

Due to the new advancements, solar technology is set to become lighter, more flexible, and applicable everywhere. These advances include:

Floating solar farms
BIPV solar technology
Solar skins
Solar fabric, and
Photovoltaic solar noise barriers (PVNB)

In 2020, innovative residential solar technologies are in development stage, such as perovskite solar cells, which could soon be used to create solar paint.

Scientist Paints a Perovskite Solution onto Glass, Creating a Solar Cell (Source: NREL)

Polymer materials have made significant progress in the solar PV Cells market. Polymer material are used in various applications in solar energy sector, such as:

PV cells are encapsulated with polymer materials
Solar panels are coated with UV coatings, and
Anti-reflective coatings among other application

This polymeric encapsulation holds the solar cells together and provides protection against humidity, dust, corrosion. The ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) polymer material holds the largest share in PV cell encapsulation.

Composites for Fuel Cells

Composite materials are anticipated to be the materials of choice for bipolar plates, end plates, fuel tanks, and other fuel cell system components in the future. In automotive and stationary power systems, fuel cell technologies of various sorts provide a “clean” (near-zero VOC) way to convert hydrogen to electrical power. Vinyl-ester-based bulk molding compounds (BMCs) with carbon-fiber reinforcement have previously been used in at least one commercially available stationary unit due to its conductivity, corrosion resistance, dimensional stability, and flame retardancy.

How do fuel cells work?

Composites for Power Transmission

When glass-fiber composites initially replaced wood and metal in 1959, they revolutionized the handling of electricity as natural insulators with excellent dielectric strength. Today, utility companies are collaborating with composite suppliers to use composites for power transmission towers and distribution poles, cables, cross-arms, and the aluminum conductor cables they support, which were historically made of wood and steel. Electric power providers have begun to overcome customer reluctance to pultruded and filament-wound composite utility poles and cross-arms, which are typically used to replace old wood poles in remote and/or severely humid places. CRAC replaces standard steel-strength components in cables with a pultruded continuous-fiber core, which is projected to reduce weight and boost power-transmission efficiency by an estimated 200 percent.

Power Transmissions lines that exist today.

Therefore, its’s safe to say that composite materials have a major role to play in the industrialization and the application of green & renewable energy. We at Midwest Composites are constantly looking for ways to make green & renewable energy application accessible and most importantly, environmentally and cost friendly.

Let us know your thoughts and feedback about the topic in hand today. We would love to hear about your opinion on the development and application of green & renewable energy. There are other sources of green & renewable energy out there that we didn’t cover in today’s article, so please do let us know which are the ones you feel have the highest chance of succeeding and replacing fossil fuel energy in the years to come.

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All you need to know about Composite Materials (GUIDE)

Sunil Raaj — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 11:34:23 +0000

A composite material is made up of two components that have distinct physical and chemical characteristics. When they are mixed, they form a material that is specialized to do a certain task, and therefore become stronger, lighter, or posses better electrical properties which allows the engineer to pick and choose from materials that are conductive or resistant. They are preferred over traditional materials because they increase the properties of their basic materials and may be used in a variety of applications. Composites can be found in nature too. Long cellulose fibers are bound together by a compound called lignin in a piece of wood, making it a composite.

Brief History of Composites

For thousands of years, humans have used composite materials in a variety of applications. Early Egyptians and Mesopotamian settlers utilized a combination of mud and straw to build robust and enduring structures around 1500 BC. The mix of mud and straw in a brick gives it excellent resistance to squeezing, ripping, and bending. Plywood was made by gluing wood strips at varying angles on top of each other in ancient civilization. Following this, the Egyptians began to manufacture death masks out of linen or papyrus soaked in plaster approximately during 2181 B.C.

In addition to that, the Mongols began developing composite bows about 1200 A.D., which were highly effective at the time. These were fashioned of pine resin-bonded wood, bamboo, bone, cow tendons, horn, and silk. The bows were compressed, and wrapped with birch bark. These bows were incredibly strong and precise. Genghis Khan’s military superiority was aided by the composite Mongolian bows. Many of the most significant breakthroughs in composites were the result of wartime requirements due to their benefits such as light weight and strength. Many composite materials were invented and advanced from the laboratory to practical manufacturing during World War II.

Illustration of Genghis Khan riding a horse with one of the first composite bows in the world.

Synthetic resins began to solidify after the industrial revolution, thanks to the process known as polymerization. This newfound understanding of chemistry led to the development of numerous polymers such as polyester, phenolic, and vinyl ester in the early 1900s. Synthetics were then developed, with scientist Leo Baekeland developing Bakelite. Since it didn’t conduct electricity and was heat resistant, it could be employed in a wide range of sectors.

The 1930s were a watershed moment in the development of composites. Owens Corning was the first to introduce glass fiber, as well as the first to establish the fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) sector. The resins developed at this time are still in use today, and unsaturated polyester resins were patented in 1936. Higher-performance resin solutions became available two years later. Carbon fiber was initially invented in 1961 and was made commercially accessible soon after. Then, in the mid-1990s, composites began to gain popularity as a manufacturing and building material due to their lower cost than previously utilized materials.

Polyester resin & glass fiber lamination to produce Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP)

The Matrix

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking of. It’s not the movie trilogy. In general, a composite consists of three components: (i) the matrix as the continuous phase; (ii) the reinforcements as the discontinuous or dispersed phase, including fiber and particles; and (iii) the fine interphase region, also known as the interface. Engineers may modify the qualities to fit specific requirements by carefully selecting the matrix, reinforcement, and manufacturing technique that binds them all together.

The figure above shows the composition in a typical composite material

Any material can serve as a matrix material for composite. However, matrix materials are generally ceramics, metals, and polymers. Polymer-matrix materials make up the vast bulk of matrix materials on the market for composites. In composite materials, there are a variety of polymer matrices that may be used. Predominately, we here at Midwest Composites are experts at producing polymer-based products such as Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP), Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) & Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer (NFRP).

Moving on, composites products can also be broken down into two distinct categories: thermoset & thermoplastics. Thermoset-matrix composites are more common than thermoplastic-matrix composites among polymer-matrix composites. Though thermoset and thermoplastic sound similar, their characteristics and uses are vastly different.

Thermoset Vs Thermoplastics

Thermosets

Thermosets are polymers that change from a liquid to a solid after undergoing a chemical reaction or curing. The material has tiny, unlinked molecules known as monomers in its uncured state. The curing process is initiated by the inclusion of a second substance as a cross-linker, curing agent, catalyst, and/or the presence of heat or other activating forces. The molecules cross-link and create substantially longer molecular chains and cross-link networks as a result of this process, causing the substance to solidify. Compared to thermoplastics, thermoset state shift is permanent and irreversible. After that, exposing the material to extreme heat after it has solidified will cause it to deteriorate rather than melt.

Advantages of thermosetting polymers include:

Allows for flexible product design
Can be molded with different tolerances
Capable of varying wall thickness to improve structural integrity
Components usually cost less than those fabricated from metals – especially for large equipment body panels
Excellent electrical insulation properties
Greater resistance to high temperatures
High dimensional stability
Highly resistant to corrosion
Low thermal conductivity
Lower costs for setup and tooling compared to thermoplastics
Offers high strength-to-weight ratio to improve product performance
Water-resistant
Wide choice for coloring and surface finishes

Thermosetting polymers disadvantages include:
- Can neither be reshaped nor remolded
- Not recyclable

Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics are polymers that can be melted. Heat is used to treat thermoplastic polymers. The plastic melts, liquefies, or softens sufficiently to be treated when enough heat is applied to raise the temperature over its melting point. The plastic forms again into a glasslike solid when the heat source is withdrawn and the temperature of the plastic falls below its melting point. This cycle can be repeated, with the plastic melting and solidifying as the temperature rises above and falls below the melting point. However, because the material’s qualities can deteriorate rapidly in its molten form, there is a practical limit on how many times this reprocessing can be done before the material’s properties deteriorate.

Advantages of thermoplastics include:

Adheres well to metal
Allows for quality aesthetic finishes
Capable of reshaping after curing without much effect to material properties (recyclable)
Chemical and detergent resistant
Good electrical insulation properties
Enhanced anti-slip properties
Resistant to impact
Offers options for both hardened crystalline and rubbery surfaces
Resistant to chipping
Resists corrosion well

Disadvantages of thermoplastics include:

Ability to soften when heated makes it less suitable for some applications
Often more expensive option than thermosetting polymers

Thermoplastic and thermoset materials both have a position in the market. Thermosets, in general, have a long history and a well-established market position, usually have cheaper raw material prices, and frequently allow simple wetting of reinforcing fibre and easy shaping to final component geometries. To put it another way, thermosets are frequently easier to work with than thermoplastics. Thermoplastics are often more durable and less brittle than thermosets. They may be more chemically resistant, do not require cooling as frequently as uncured thermosets (prepreg materials), and are more readily recycled and repaired.

Thermoplastics are the most widely used plastics, particularly in non-reinforced applications. Thermosets are employed in non-reinforced applications for a specific purpose where their unique properties provide a benefit. Thermoset dominates in the reinforced or composites sector, while thermoplastic is employed exclusively in areas where its specific benefits are critical. Thermoset accounts for approximately 80% of the total material utilized in composites.

The figure explains the difference in reaction to heat by thermoplastics and thermosets.

Reinforcements

Fibers, flakes, and particles can all be used as composite reinforcements. Each has its own set of qualities that may be added to composites, and hence each has its own set of uses. Fibers are the most often utilized form in composite applications, and they have the greatest impact on the composite materials’ qualities. The high aspect ratio between length and diameter of the fibers allows for excellent shear stress transmission between the matrix and the fibers, as well as the capacity to process and fabricate composite parts in a variety of forms utilizing various procedures.

Polymer-matrix composites have been reinforced using a variety of fibers. Carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers & natural fibers. For ages, glass fibers have been utilized as reinforcement, particularly by Renaissance Venetian glass craftsmen. There are various types of glass fiber, these include:

Grade A is high alkali grade glass, originally made from window glass.
Grade C is chemical-resistant grade glass for acid environments or corrosion.
Grade D is low dielectric grade glass, good transparency to radar (quartz glass).
Grade E is electrical insulation grade; this is the most common reinforcement grade.
Grade M is high modulus grade glass.
Grade R is reinforcement grade glass; this is the European equivalent of S-glass.
Grade S is high strength grade glass, a common variant is S2-glass. This fiber has higher temperature resistance than E-glass. It is also significantly more expensive.

Grade E-glass fiber that is compatible with epoxy & polyester based resin

Moving on, carbon fibers are fibers about 5–10 micrometers in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. Carbon fibers have several advantages including high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance, low thermal expansion and good electrical conductivity. These properties have made carbon fiber very popular in aerospace, civil engineering, military, and motorsports, along with other competition sports. However, they are relatively expensive when compared with similar fibers, such as glass fibers..

Based on modulus, strength, and final heat treatment temperature, carbon fibers can be classified into the following categories:

Based on the mechanical properties, carbon fibers can be grouped into:

Ultra-high-modulus, type UHM (modulus >450Gpa)
High-modulus, type HM (modulus between 350-450Gpa)
Intermediate-modulus, type IM (modulus between 200-350Gpa)
Low modulus and high-tensile, type HT (modulus < 100Gpa, tensile strength > 3.0Gpa)
Super high-tensile, type SHT (tensile strength > 4.5Gpa)

Based on precursor fiber materials, carbon fibers are classified into:

PAN-based carbon fibers
Pitch-based carbon fibers
Mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers
Isotropic pitch-based carbon fibers
Rayon-based carbon fibers
Gas-phase-grown carbon fibers

Based on final heat treatment temperature, carbon fibers are classified into:

Type-I, high-heat-treatment carbon fibers (HTT), where final heat treatment temperature should be above 2000°C and can be associated with high-modulus type fiber.
Type-II, intermediate-heat-treatment carbon fibers (IHT), where final heat treatment temperature should be around or above 1500°C and can be associated with high-strength type fiber.
Type-III, low-heat-treatment carbon fibers, where final heat treatment temperatures should not be greater than 1000°C. These are low modulus and low strength materials.

Lastly, there are natural fibers. Natural fibers are fibers that are neither synthetic or man-made and are classified according to whether they come from animals, minerals, or plants. Natural fibers are an example of a capable reinforcement that might be used to replace synthetic reinforcement. Natural plant fibers are completely biodegradable and generated purely from vegetative resources. Due to its outstanding qualities, Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (NFRP) has gotten a lot of interest in a lot of applications. According to current indications, the industry’s interest in natural fiber composites will continue to rise rapidly over the world. Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites and natural-based resins are being widely used to replace conventional synthetic polymer or glass fiber-reinforced materials.

Types of Natural Fiber that can be used to replace and reduce the amount of synthetic fiber used

Processes / Composites Manufacturing Techniques

Composite materials can be manufactured in a variety of ways. The materials, part design, performance, and end-use or application will all influence the process chosen to fabricate a part. We here at Midwest Composites are extremely adept at a number of these composite manufacturing techniques. These include:

1) Open Molding

Hand lay-up is a manual composite material fabrication process that uses open contact molding. Resin is applied to fibers in the form of woven, knitted, stitched, or bonded textiles. The mold is first treated with mold release agent, then dried fibers or textiles are deposited on the mold, then liquid resin is poured and dispersed over the fiber beds. Rollers or brushes are commonly used, although nip-roller-type impregnators, which employ revolving rollers and a resin solution to force resin into textiles, are becoming more popular. Wet the fibers and eliminate air trapped in the lay-ups with a roller or brush. A few layers of fibers are wetted, and the laminates are allowed to cure under normal circumstances. More layers are applied after these ones have cured.

Illustration shows the process behind open molding hand lay-up technique.

Spray-up is another open-mold composite application technique. The spray lay-up approach is seen as an extension of the hand lay-up technique. The mold is initially treated with mold release agent in this procedure. After the mold release has been applied, a gelcoat is sprayed as either one thick layer or two thin layers in a way that the mold’s functional surface is completely covered in gelcoat. The next step which consists of spraying the first layer of the laminate can be done once the gelcoat layer is almost fully cured. A chopper spray cannon is used to spray the fiber and catalyzed resin into the mold at a viscosity of 500–1000 cps. The cannon slices continuous fiber tow into small bundle lengths, then blows the short fibers straight into the sprayed resin stream, allowing the fiber to be coated with the resin as it is sprayed onto the mold.

Illustration shows the process of spray-up technique.

2) Resin Transfer Molding (RTM)

Resin transfer molding (RTM), often known as liquid molding, is a straightforward procedure. The mold is initially treated with mold release agent in this method. The dry reinforcement, usually a preform, is then inserted into the mold, which is finally sealed. Low viscosity resin and catalyst are metered and mixed before being injected into the mold under low to moderate pressure through injection ports, following predesigned routes through the preform. In the RTM process, low-viscosity resin is utilized to guarantee that the resin penetrates the preform fast and fully before gelling and curing, which is especially important with thick composite components.

Illustration explains the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process in detail.

3) Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM)

Vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding is the fastest-growing molding technology (VARTM). The distinction between VARTM and RTM is that in VARTM, the pressure difference between the atmosphere and the void created by the vacuum helps to push the resin through the laminate, but in RTM, resin is injected into the laminate. The VARTM method does not need a lot of heat or pressure. VARTM often uses low-cost tooling, allowing it to create huge, complicated components in a single shot at a cheap cost.

Illustration of Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding process.

As a result, there is no practical difference in the materials used in a “Open Mold or Contact Molding” product vs one molded using RTM, LRTM, or VARTM / Vacuum Infusion. The truth remains that the resin and fiber are essentially the same for each process, therefore if the fiber to resin ratio was consistent and the fiber distribution cross sectionally in the laminate was the same, any process method would ultimately provide the same molded component performance. The open mold technique, as well as the RTM and LRTM processes, all share the same fiber loading ratio of 30 percent weight fiber to 70 percent resin. The VARTM or Vacuum Infusion process is a variation of the process techniques; in this approach, the fiber loading increases to 60 to 70 percent by weight of the laminate, with the remaining 40 to 30 percent being resin.

Real-life example of the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process

4) Light Resin Transfer Molding (LRTM)

Light Resin Transfer Molding, or Light RTM, is a process by which composite products are manufactured using a closed mold system. The closed mold consists of an “A” side mold (base mold) and a semi-rigid “B” side mold (counter mold) that is sealed to the “A” side mold using vacuum pressure. Resin is drawn into the resulting cavity under vacuum.

The resin infusion may be assisted by a resin injection pump, which will accelerate the infusion process. Once an “A” side mold is cured, the “B” side mold is removed and the part is demolded from the “A” side mold.

While LRTM can be a better alternative to open molding for most items, it does need that the product be developed for the process and that the molds used be built for the process. A typical blunder is to use this procedure to make a part that was originally designed for open molding. Consider the benefits and drawbacks of the LRTM process before designing or redesigning your goods to take advantage of them.

Illustration of Light Resin Transfer Molding (LRTM) process.

5) Compression Molding

Compression molding is a precise and potentially quick method of making high-quality composite parts in large quantities. In the mold, the material is manually or robotically deposited. The mold halves are sealed togetherwith hydraulic presses. The cycle time varies based on the size and thickness of the component. This method creates high-strength, complicated pieces in a range of sizes. Thermosetting prepregs, fiber-reinforced thermoplastic, molding compounds such as sheet molding compound (SMC), bulk molding compound (BMC), and chopped thermoplastic tapes are among the composites usually treated by compression molding.

Illustration of Compression Molding manufacturing technique process.

6) Additive manufacturing

3D printing is another name for additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing represents a significant step forward in the evolution of fast prototyping principles that were first offered over 20 years ago. An example of a 3-D printing method is called Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), also known as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) which involves creating a tangible item from a three-dimensional computer model, usually by layering numerous thin layers of material. The existing technologies in 3D-printing composite structures consists of printing reinforced thermoplastic filaments from a nozzle while the other consists of fusing continuous fiber and resin during the printing process, both deposited from two different nozzles. Microspheres, glass particles and carbon fibers are the reinforcements that are integrated in the filament used for the first method.

Illustration of the Additive Manufacturing otherwise known as 3D Printing.

Industries Applicable

A laminar structure is the most common type of fiber-reinforced polymer, which is created by stacking and connecting thin layers of fiber and polymer until the required thickness is achieved. A varying level of anisotropy in composite qualities can be produced by manipulating the fiber orientation among layers in laminate constructions. Corrosion resistance, light weight, strength, cheaper material prices, greater productivity, design flexibility, and durability are just a few of the advantages of composites.

1) Aerospace

The potential of composite materials for large-scale applications in aerospace has been demonstrated by major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like as Airbus and Boeing. NASA is always on the lookout for new ideas and space solutions for rockets and other spacecraft from composite producers. In commercial, civilian, and military aircraft applications, thermoset composites are being specified for bulkheads, fuselages, wings, and other uses. Composites are also used in air-foil surfaces, antenna structures, compressor blades, engine bay doors, fan blades, flywheels, helicopter transmission structures, jet engines, radar, rocket engines, solar reflectors, satellite structures, turbine blades, turbine shafts, rotor shafts in helicopters, wing box structures, and other areas.

2.4 meter wingspan UAV fuselage built from Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) utilizing the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding process.

2) Automotive & Mass Transit

Composites aren’t new to the automotive industry. The most significant benefit of using composite materials is weight savings. Because it takes less gasoline to drive a lighter car or truck, it is more fuel efficient. Composites help make automobiles lighter and more fuel efficient. In addition to permitting ground-breaking vehicle designs, bearing materials, bodies, connecting rods, crankshafts, cylinders, engines, pistons, other composite materials are employed to further improve the strength-to-weight ratio. While carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) in automotive receive the most attention, composites also play an important role in improving fuel economy in trucks and transportation networks.

3) Military & Defence

The increasing use of composites and innovations in material blends and fabrication has enabled composite component manufacturers to satisfy the need for military vehicle components. Armored vehicles have traditionally used steel armor for protection – however, this gives rise to heavy structures that provide logistical problems in transporting the vehicles to a battle site. A typical military vehicle can weigh around 60t and even smaller vehicles weigh around 23t. This major hindrance has led to a major increase in the development of composite armored vehicles. The materials used in composites include Kevlar, glass fiber and carbon fiber. Glass fiber is around 20-30% lighter when compared to steel but for 50 -60% lighter weight, carbon fiber composites need to be adopted.

4) Construction and Infrastructure

Construction is one of the largest markets for composites globally. The composites can be made to have a very high strength and ideal construction materials. Thermoset composites are replacing many traditional materials for home and offices’ architectural components including doors, fixtures, molding, roofing, shower stalls, swimming pools, vanity sinks, wall panels, and window frames. Composites are used all over the world to help construct and repair a wide variety of infrastructure applications, from buildings and bridges to roads, railways, and pilings

Image of a architectural structure built using composites materials.

Composite Properties

Polymer composite materials are lightweight, which improves the fuel efficiency of composite cars while still providing structural stability. They also have a high strength-to-weight ratio and are more heat resistant. Depending on the kind of matrix, reinforcement, ratio between them, formulations, and manufacturing process, composites have extremely variable characteristics and uses. One of the most important variables in obtaining better fiber reinforcement polymer composite qualities is the bonding strength between the fiber and the polymer-matrix in the composite. Furthermore, composites has various advantageous features such as :

It is light in weight and have low density.
It has high creep resistance.
Strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight are greater than in steel or aluminum.
Fatigue properties are higher than normal engineering metals.
Composites cannot corrode like steel.
Ease of fabrication of large advanced structural shapes.
The ability to include sensors into the fabric to monitor its performance.
It has excessive resistance to impression damage.

Conclusion & Summary

Composites have several advantages, including the ability to utilize a large range of material combinations, allowing for design flexibility. In addition, the composites may be readily molded into complex forms. Materials can be specially designed to meet specific requirements. Composites are lighter in weight than most woods and metals, and they have a lower density than many metals. They are more durable than other materials. Weather and strong chemicals have no effect on the materials. Composites have a high life expectancy and require little upkeep. The design options for composite goods are diverse because to the large diversity of available reinforcement, matrix, and their shapes, manufacturing techniques, and each resulting in their own distinct composite products. As a result, a composite and its production method may be selected to best suit the growing rural societies in which the items would be manufactured and used.

Leave a comment below if you have any interesting ideas or concepts that is relevant to the topic above. Furthermore, let us know what is your preferred manufacturing techniques out of the ones we’ve listed today.

To transform how EVs are made, this M’sian startup turns to cost-efficient plant fibres. [Vulcan Post]

Sunil Raaj — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 07:41:59 +0000

In conjunction with Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC), Vulcan Post released an article explaining Midwest Composites.

Link to the original article at Vulcan Post.

One of the reasons why Malaysians may be hesitant in making the switch to electric vehicles (EV), other than the lack of incentives from the government, is the lack of infrastructure to curb range anxiety.

Did you know: Range anxiety is the electric vehicle owner’s fear that an EV’s battery does not have sufficient enough charge for the vehicle to reach its final destination or that a charge point won’t be available for charging “on the road.”

Driivz

A manufacturing solution to this would be building EVs with more efficient materials. This would make a vehicle’s frame lighter, making room for more batteries (which will also increase the car’s stability), thus increasing its range.

Eyeing this scene is Malaysian startup, Midwest Composites which engineers alternative materials to reduce the weight of EVs in a cost-effective way. With Malaysia unlikely to build its own fully electric car for consumers anytime soon, they’re starting with public transportation in the form of buses.

Its CEO, Sethu Raaj Munusamy shared, “We not only reduce weight for EVs, most of our current work is in conventional vehicles also. In a conventional car, we can reduce the weight up to 40% through composites. This amounts to fuel savings of 28% for the car.”

Composites are the future of material

A composite is a material that is produced from two or more constituent (distinct) materials. Composites provide certain benefits such as being more lightweight, corrosion-resistant, flexible, and low maintenance over traditional materials such as steel, aluminium, wood, or concrete.

Think of it like extremely strong plastic, but environmentally friendly especially when using biomass, which is a renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals.

A table made from biomass composites, more precisely pineapple fibers.

Midwest Composites essentially conducts R&D and manufacturing for composites, including the hybridisation of glass through carbon and plant based fibres such as palm oil, kenaf, pineapple, and others.

“Our core passion is the usage of biomass in composites so that we can reduce the amount of plastic that is not recyclable in the environment,” Sethu told Vulcan Post.

Malaysia has the materials, but not the machines

Getting the biomass into a matted structure that’s needed for proper production is not yet available in Malaysia, despite the abundance of raw materials here. Which means, Malaysia has the raw materials that can be made into composites, but lacks the production materials needed to convert them.

Sethu further explained that similar production materials required are available in Europe, but are too expensive for the Midwest Composites team.

“So until we can find a way to produce these materials here, we will have to lean on hybridisation of glass, carbon and natural fibres,” he shared. This is to push for the manufacturing and use of composites in Malaysia, which are applicable in various industries.

The team intends to one day penetrate the consumer market too, to make carbon fibre parts more affordable to the masses and Original Equipment Manufacturers.

Garden gnomes made from composites

But they need to convince the market first

One challenge that may be faced by the team is in convincing the market to make the switch to using more sustainable materials. This is especially so when manufacturing composites can be more costly in the first place as it has yet to reach economies of scale.

Sethu agreed, “Being a startup in a new technological field presents challenges where you need to educate customers that are already comfortable with their existing options, so convincing them can be time-consuming and also financially heavy.”

“But once the market understands the real potential of these natural fibres, this industry will take off and we intend for it to be leading this revolution,” Sethu stated his goal for the company.

Hence, a viable way for Midwest Composites to gain customers’ trust is through leading by example. The company would have to showcase that, despite the high initial costs, making the switch to composites will mean other cost-saving benefits in the long run.

This makes the startup’s current partnerships with large companies a strategic move.

Serving buses, drones, and conventional vehicles

Currently, Midwest Composites’ team is working with a local bus company to develop a Malaysian made electric bus.

For example, the team has built an engine cover requiring no metal framing as support. This is able to reduce its weight by 50% compared to the conventional build using metal materials. They’ve also built a diesel tank and toilet module out of fiberglass for the bus.

Other than buses, Midwest Composites also makes components for conventional vehicles like car and motorcycle mud flaps, bumpers, and interior cover panels. They’re made of fibreglass and carbon fibre that can be customised based on consumer demands.

EV Racecar Bodyshell made from glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP)

Sethu shared that since partnering with the bus company, the client then connected them to a local drone builder who was looking for fibreglass infusion drone body kits.

Part of the project also involves building a lighter electric motor for the drone with a 2.5-metre wingspan.

“This is a monumental project for us as we are building the first of its kind in SEA and will help our reputation in establishing ourselves as an advanced composites company globally,” Sethu said.

Building the drones

Midwest Composites has also partnered with Inter Formula Sdn Bhd to develop a fully electric racecar for motorsports. Sethu reported that the company has been approached by more interested local companies with collaboration opportunities in the EV space too.

From these partnerships, Midwest Composites has made a total revenue of RM320K in the past 14 months.

We would love the opportunity to work with the big players in the industry such as Proton and Perodua to be able to share our composite expertise and use the synergy between us to build world-class composite cars here in Malaysia.

Sethu Raaj Munusamy

CEO and co-founder of Midwest Composites

Participating in the Global Accelerator Programme (GAP) Cohort 5 by the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) has also increased its visibility.

Being a part of GAP, Sethu is confident that Midwest Composites will be opened up to more business opportunities thanks to the mentorship and growth training available.

For customers who are interested in utilizing Advance Composites or Biobased composites to their highest potential in their industrial need, you can contact me at : sethuraaj@midwestcomposites.com.my

Campus Connection: Composite Engineering alum says WSU education has Harvard reputation. [winonadailynews]

Sunil Raaj — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 07:26:01 +0000

Our CEO & Founder was contacted to give his thoughts as a WSU alumni on Winona Daily News.

Link to the original article on Winona Daily News.

At 16 years old, Sethu Munusamy was first introduced to composite engineering in a high school class in Malaysia. Sethu, a WSU 2010 alum, was fascinated by idea of taking a plastic and a fiber, mixing them together, and creating something so much stronger than any other material.

“This sounds like the future,” Sethu said as he reminisced.

When Sethu told his father — a lecturer and professor with university ties — about his desire to study composite materials, he was met with enthusiasm and soon after was enrolled at Winona State University through the American Degree Transfer Program. He moved overseas and started his pursuit in Composite Materials Engineering. Eleven years later, after owning 2 businesses and being seen as the top in his field, Sethu certainly doesn’t regret his decision.

“There’s a reputation for a WSU undergraduate student,” Sethu explained. “In the composites industry we’re almost looked at the same breath as a Harvard or Stanford student.”

Sethu explained that the programming at WSU has such a “local legend vibe” that when he went on to pursue his master’s at a different school, the students there — even ones working on their Ph.D. — would see him as an expert and ask for help because of the reputation WSU holds.

Sethu characterized his time spent at Winona State University as one that prepared him well for his career field. His revered professors — who are all experts in the field of the Composite Engineering Program — gave him a “close-knit family bond type of feel that a small school and small program will give you.” “The five professors that we do have are world-class,” Sethu said with conviction.

Sethu explained that composite materials engineering — unbeknownst to many — is a relatively new industry with lots of discoveries to be made. Although the current trends favoring carbon-based composites, his interest was concentrated on bio-based composites which he pointed out were materials that are more sustainable.

For three years Sethu worked with a composite company, Sintex Wausaukee Composites which is a small company located in Wisconsin that provided manufactured materials for the mass transportation, automotive sectors and many other sectors. Then after ten years of being abroad, Sethu traveled back to Malaysia made the decision to stay near his family and form a better connection with his fourteen-year-old brother.

Sethu created his own startup business, Compositecniq, and with his sophisticated understanding of composites he partnered with SKSBUS, the largest bus manufacturing company in Malaysia.

Like many other industries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bus industry fell rapidly.

With several devastating government shutdowns threatening his chances to get his fledgling startup off the ground, Sethu needed to pivot his business.

To do that, Sethu thought back to his education from WSU.

“The knowledge that was bestowed on me is what’s helping me be the businessman engineer that I need to be today,” Sethu said.

In March of 2020, Sethu created his second start up called Midwest Composites.

He was recently accepted into the Global Accelerator Program which is funded by the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity, which is a branch of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

With the excitement of funding, Sethu has a renewed sense of hope for his startup — especially with the mentorship component the Global Accelerator Program can provide for his business. The program also gives Sethu support and networking opportunities with 30 other startup entrepreneurs.

With the government’s support, Sethu can focus on increasing his company’s visibility, hiring more staff, and strengthening current and future partnerships.

Now Sethu is working to develop further partnerships with a drone building company, a military tank provider, and several small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as a possible $300,000 project partnership with another drone company. Within the next year, Sethu has a major goal for his startup: to make three to four million in revenue.

With a bright and hopeful future ahead of him, Sethu cherished most his WSU education. The title of being a WSU Composite Materials Engineering alum gave him an edge when entering the field, whether that was while networking at engineering conferences or while making connections during his entrepreneurial startups. The benefits of earning his degree have continued to help him every day in his business.

“I’m excited for the future of my business,” Sethu said with enthusiasm. “My WSU degree has been instrumental to becoming the successful professional that I am.”

For customers who are interested in utilizing Advance Composites or Biobased composites to their highest potential in their industrial need, you can contact me at : sethuraaj@midwestcomposites.com.my

Biobased composites and Advance Composites Materials for a greener and sustainable future. [Malaysiakini]

Sunil Raaj — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 04:20:30 +0000

Recently, our CEO & Founder Mr. Sethu Raaj shared his composites journey on Malaysiakini, the top independent news media in Malaysia.

Link to the original article on Malaysiakini.

I was 16 years old when I first heard of Composite Materials in my high school chemistry class at King George V in Seremban. Instantly I was enthralled with the possibility of mixing a fiber reinforcement and a plastic matrix to create materials that were stronger than conventional materials. Deep inside, I knew this was the future of materials and was determined to learn as much as I could.

At 18 years old, I left for Winona State University to pursue a Composite Materials Engineering degree. They were the only school in America that offered this program as an Undergraduate program. The knowledge I gained there didn’t satisfy my thirst. Then I enrolled at North Dakota State University to learn about Bio-based Composites, where they use natural-based fibres and resins from bio-based sources such as plants. I instantly fell in deeper love with Composite Materials, especially the sustainable and eco-friendly types.

Sethu Raaj, Justin Beatty and Jeffrey Eigenheer at Winona State University.

Upon graduation, I took up a job as a Project Manager at Sintex-Wausaukee Composites where I had the privilege of working on multiple projects for Fortune 500 Original Equipment Manufacturers. The experience of working with Caterpillar, John Deere, Siemens, Oshkosh Truck, General Electric, and many other notable clients in the Heavy Construction, Mass Transportation, Military, Agricultural and Medical industries gave me greater insight into the usage of composites in the global market.

After ten years of being abroad and receiving an H1-B visa, I had the opportunity to come back home after a very long time for a holiday. Upon returning and reconnecting with family, I decided to stay back and embark on my entrepreneurial journey that was always my destiny. I took initiative and started meeting people to see what my options were and partnered up with SKSBUS for my first startup Compositecniq. Worked with them for 5 years developing and manufacturing Advanced Composites for their buses. It was a great opportunity to learn so much about entrepreneurship and business from the SKS team.

Laminating the mould for an engine cover for SKSBus.

The pandemic hit us as it hit the whole world, the bus industry took a massive fall and it was time for me to pivot and look for different opportunities. This is when I decided to follow my true passion for bio-based composites and started my second startup Midwest Composites. We registered the company in March 2020 and were immediately hit with the lockdown. This posed a huge challenge as our customers all were experiencing the same issues and business was at a standstill.

We as a team regrouped and pivoted in the automotive, rail, recreation, and bus industries taking all jobs that were on the table to keep the company moving in the right direction.

We made some good traction and had the opportunity to be accepted into the esteemed Virtual Global Accelerator Programme Cohort 05 by MaGIC. This was a great opportunity for us to learn from some of the best people in the startup ecosystem and to get visibility. The program connected us with some excellent mentors that helped us learn so many fundamentals that we were lacking.

The program also gave me a lot of ideas and knowledge on how to take the next steps in my entrepreneurial journey. This saved me a lot of time as I didn’t have to learn all this on my own organically. I am definitely looking forward to all the other benefits that are sure to come due to our participation in the program. As is already, it was of immense help. We have already been approached by some potential investors that are interested in the vision of our company and the current traction that it is showing.

Currently, after the recent lockdown, we are working together with a drone maker to build a drone with a wingspan of 2-3 meters. This project will open our opportunities in the drone space to become the premier body kit builder for all the drone builders in the region and globally too.

2.3 meter wingspan UAV built using glass fiber and Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) .

We are also working on some projects in the motorsports industry where we are working with a partner to develop Electric Vehicles as race cars. Another customer is working with us to develop refurbished Electric Vehicles as trucks. We are also working with clients in the tanks and insulation markets.

We have ambitious goals of becoming the Premier Advanced Composites Company in the Region and then Globally. My experience in the Global Composites Market plus my extensive network of contacts in the USA and India will give us an edge in this growing and exciting industry poised to take over the world. We have a 5-year plan of building sustainable bio-based composites for every manufacturer out there that need our materials in their products. Our most ambitious plan is to be a premier bio-based manufacturer for the space industry.

For customers who are interested in utilizing Advance Composites or Biobased composites to their highest potential in their industrial need, you can contact me at : sethuraaj@midwestcomposites.com.my