The UK’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has called upon composite tube specialist Custom Composites, part of the Attwater Group to provide the rollers to help launch its Shannon Class All Weather Lifeboat.
The rollers have been designed specifically to withstand the 18 tonne weight of the craft and remain unaffected by the harsh marine environment. The rollers will form part of a modular launch and recovery system that carries the Shannon-class craft from the lifeboat house to the sea.
‘Attwater are extremely proud to be involved in such an important project, working with a charitable organisation whose primary focus is saving lives,’ said sales Director Rachael Kennedy.
‘The rollers needed to remain free from stress fractures or voids, and required a manufacturer with our level of experience and quality assurance to meet their demands,’ said Andy States, general manager at Custom Composites. ‘Our composite rollers will not corrode in seawater or deform like some rubbers do under such stresses and in such demanding environments.’
This story is reprinted from material from Attwater & Sons Ltd, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
