The technology behind composite panels isn’t new; however, recent advancements in manufacturing technologies and material science have expanded the flexibility, durability, and lightweight characteristics that fiberglass honeycomb panels now boast. These advanced materials are highly versatile and used across a wide range of applications, with more industries adopting component panels to replace traditional materials due to their greater strength-to-weight ratio and resistance properties.
Fiberglass Honeycomb Panels Versus Traditional Materials
Fiberglass honeycomb panels utilize advanced composite panel technology to create customized materials designed to meet the unique needs of diverse applications. These panels benefit from the combined properties of the honeycomb core and FRP skins that work together to extend and enhance the panel’s strength, durability, and resistance properties.
Wood
Wood materials are inexpensive and, when sourced from sustainable suppliers, can align with companies’ environmental policies. However, wood is prone to rot, mold, fungi, and other hazards that will require extensive upkeep or replacements, costing more in the long run. Compared to fiberglass honeycomb panels, wood has a lower strength-to-weight ratio, making it heavier and less durable than advanced composites.
Aluminum
Solid aluminum may be lighter than steel, but it isn’t as lightweight as fiberglass honeycomb panels and tends to cost more on average than composite materials due to the volume of aluminum required. However, fiberglass honeycomb panels can be manufactured in aluminum honeycomb cores, providing the lightweight properties of aluminum combined with the corrosion resistance of FRP.
Steel
Steel panels boast higher strength than fiberglass honeycomb panels and are less pricey; however, they must undergo extensive secondary processes and ongoing maintenance to slow the corrosion process. Steel is also a great deal heavier than honeycomb panels, making it ill-suited for applications where both strength and weight are critical considerations.
It’s Like Comparing Apples to Oranges
They are both fruit, and that’s about as much as they have in common. Fiberglass honeycomb panels and traditional materials are both used throughout industries for a variety of applications. However, fiberglass honeycomb panels combine properties from multiple materials, creating superior products with greater strength-to-weight ratios and drastically reduced maintenance costs.
To learn more about transitioning from traditional materials to custom fiberglass honeycomb panels, contact the experts at CPT today.