North Thin Ply Technology and FIBRE Mechanics have built a range of boat components made with prepreg composite panels.
The components include bulkheads, girders and interior joinery panels.
FIBRE Mechanics reportedly wanted to improve laminates using low weight unidirectional prepregs, rather than conventional woven or stitched multi-axial prepregs using an NTPT automated tape laying (ATL) machine.
Unidirectional prepreg is the most cost and structurally efficient prepreg, and with the NTPT ATL machine the required specification can be achieved more efficiently than weaving or multi-axial stitching machines, NTPT says.
This story is reprinted from material from the NTPT, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
