How much do you know about composite materials? If you are like most people, your knowledge is limited to things like tennis rackets and golf clubs. But truth be known, composites impact so much of daily life that most of us are exposed to them without ever realizing it. Just take transportation as one example.
Trains, planes, automobiles, and boats are all being made with larger volumes of composites. Even bicycles and scooters incorporate composite parts. It is nearly impossible to travel anywhere without encountering composites, unless you are traveling by foot.
Composites and Trains
Railcar manufacturers use composite materials for both structural and nonstructural parts. Consider the seats in your typical commuter train. Seats in older cars are made from standard plastics as well as steel and aluminum. But modern seats are made with materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber.
According to Utah-based Rock West Composites, a Chinese manufacturer released the first ever rail car with a body made completely of carbon fiber in 2018. The car is substantially lighter than its metal counterparts while still being stronger. That makes the car more efficient on the tracks.
Composites and Planes
The aerospace industry is the single largest consumer of carbon fiber in the world. Commercial aircraft companies make entire fuselage panels from carbon fiber. They also use carbon fiber in their wings, seats, interior cabinets, and so forth. Carbon fiber is a preferred material because its weight savings make it possible to build larger and larger planes.
Military aircraft builders also rely on carbon fiber, Kevlar, and other composites. They need planes that are light and strong. They need planes that can withstand the punishment of military flight in and out of combat zones.
Composites and Automobiles
Automotive manufacturing is one area in which the composites industry would like to increase penetration. Rock West says that cost is the biggest prohibitive factor, leading carmakers to stick with aluminum, steel, and traditional plastics wherever possible.
Having said that, composites are making inroads into automotive manufacturing. GMC’s new CarbonPro pickup truck bed is one of the most recent examples. Other manufacturers are using composites to make door panels, hoods, exterior trim, spoilers, etc. Even car interiors are increasingly made from composite materials.
Composites and Watercraft
The maritime industry is second only to aerospace in terms of the amount of composites used for manufacturing. Boat makers have been relying on fiberglass for decades. Now they are getting into carbon fiber as well. Both materials have proven especially useful for fabricating everything from hulls to covers.
Composites are an excellent choice for recreational boats for the same reason aerospace manufacturers like them for aircraft. Lighter materials allow makers to craft larger vessels without adding excessive weight. This gives them more room to outfit their boats with a lot of amenities that would otherwise be left out due to weight constraints.
Composites Are Everywhere
Just reviewing transportation options alone demonstrates how prolific composites have become. These days, they are virtually everywhere. From sporting goods to construction materials, composites are changing the way we build, manufacture, and fabricate. They will continue playing an important role for decades to come.
Composites could be the materials that finally make air taxis a reality. They are already contributing to the development of electric vehicles that may someday not need batteries thanks to carbon fiber bodies that double as energy storage.
Indeed, the possibilities seem endless. The more we learn about composites, the more we discover the amazing things we can do with them. Getting us where we are going is just a start.
