GRP Sandwich Panels
Engineered Composites supplies
GRP faced sandwich panels in a number of formats to meet customer needs. The
panels have a GRP high gloss skin in colour white and in other RAL colours to
order with one of the following cores:
* Plywood
* PU foam
* PU foam with additional pultruded I section internal stiffeners
* Polypropylene honeycomb
With each of these core materials panels can be made with both core and skin thickness selected to meet
customer requirements. Woven roving can be included in the GRP skins for extra strength and toughness.
Maximum GRP sandwich panel width is 2.2m. GRP sandwich panel length is to order with a maximum of 11.8m although over 6m is difficult to handle without specialist equipment. GRP sandwich panels are available cut to size from stock panels or made to order.
GRP/Plywood
Traditionally used as a dry freight panel for trucks, grp/plywood panels can by used to make cabins, kiosks, tank covers and many other applications were a strong, weather resistant panel is required. The standard plywood core is WPB poplar plywood but birch ply can be specified if required. Standard panels are 18mm ply with two grp skins of 1.5mm giving 21mm overall. Skin thickness can be selected between 0.8mm and 3mm and include woven roving for additional strength and toughness.
Plywood core is available to order in 9mm, 15mm, 18mm and 21mm.
Panels in stock are 2.2m x 3.5m in high gloss white grp skin on 18mm WPB poplar ply core.
GRP/PU Foam Insulated Panels
Foam filled sandwich panels are mainly used for their thermal insulation properties in temperature controlled transport and storage units. The insulated panels supplied by Engineered Composites are available in thickness from 25mm to 80mm. For additional structural strength panels can be supplied with pultruded I section internal stiffening ribs that are bonded into the panel, connecting the two skins together to increase the resistance to deformation and compression forces without loss of thermal efficiency. Panels with internal stiffening are available with core thickness of 40, 58, 65 and 80 mm.
Panels can also be made to order with a thin plywood skin under the grp surface. Wood block or grp box section can be incorporated during manufacture to give designers and builders the opportunity to create fully panels optimised.
Typical insulated panel properties
|
Property |
Units |
Value |
|
Overall thickness |
mm |
55 |
|
Core thickness |
mm |
50 |
|
Foam Density |
Kg/m3 |
|
|
K Coefficient |
Kcal/m2 h
oC |
4.8 for 1.3mm thick |
|
Thermal conductivity |
W/m.K |
0.16 |
|
Temperature range |
oC |
-50 to +100 |
GRP/Polypropylene honeycomb core
The use of honeycomb cores for sandwich panels is a well established practice in the aerospace industry where the very light weight combined with high shear strength and high compressive strength enable sandwich panels to carry high loads. Engineered Composites is now extending this technology into the general commercial market with a range of GRP skinned sandwich panels using polypropylene honeycomb as the core material. The PP honeycomb is thermally welded to a polyester veil to which the GRP skin is adhesively bonded. This gives strong bond between core and skin ensuring that all the forces are evenly transmitted through the panel.
The high gloss finish combined with light weight, strength, stiffness and durability under fluctuating loads makes these panels ideal for applications such as mobile homes, light delivery vans, cabins, covers and signage.
Typical GRP/PP honeycomb cored panel properties
|
Property |
Units |
Values |
|
Static strength
|
MPa |
≥18 |
|
Elastic Modulus
|
MPa |
1500 |
|
Barcol Hardness
|
|
≥40 |
|
Impact Strength
|
KJ/m² |
50 |
|
Side Press
Strength |
MPa |
≥10 |
|
Flat pull Strength
, |
KPa |
≥450 |
|
Flat compress
Strength |
MPa |
≥1.5 |
Panels are available with core thickness from 6mm to 60mm thick.
Panels are in stock 21mm overall thickness, 18mm core, in panel size 2.2x3.5m, weight 8.5 kg/m2.
|