For applications where the mechanical requirements are too high for unreinforced or short fibre-reinforced plastic stock shapes, continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic plates offer an excellent alternative. Thanks to the continuous fibre reinforcement, usually a woven fabric of glass or carbon fibres, they have mechanical properties otherwise achieved only by metallic materials. At the same time, they are significantly lighter than most metal-based alternatives.
Through the use of thermoplastic matrix materials, the plates nevertheless have the same advantages as unreinforced plates made from thermoplastic materials: high impact strength, constant properties over a broad temperature range, chemical resistance and high elongation at break. By selecting a suitable matrix material, a wide range of customer needs can be met.
Plates made from continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastics can be processed into finished parts of outstanding quality with minimal tolerances. Alongside water jet cutting, conventional processing methods are also suitable – assuming suitable facilities and processing parameters.
3 new materials
Ensinger has widened its portfolio of composite plates to include three new materials:
TECATEC PPS CW50 black (PPS CFK – Polyphenylene sulfide, carbon fibre-reinforced).
- Excellent high-temperature resistance
- Very good chemical resistance
- Very good dimensional stability over a broad temperature and humidity range
- Carbon fibre reinforcement increases stiffness and strength
TECATEC PEI GW50 natural (PEI GFK – Polyetherimide, glass fibre-reinforced)
- High continuous service temperature (170°C)
- Good electrical insulation
- Fire, smoke and toxicity retardant (FST)
- Glass fibre reinforcement increases the mechanical properties while keeping costs down
TECATEC PC CW50 black (PC CFK – Polycarbonate, carbon fibre-reinforced)
- Outstanding appearance thanks to crystal-clear, transparent matrix
- High impact toughness
- Carbon fibre reinforcement increases stiffness and strength
As light as plastic, as stiff and strong as metal
The new composite plates from Ensinger have densities between 1.5 and 1.8 g/cm³, giving
them a similar specific weight to unreinforced or short fibre-reinforced plates. Nevertheless,
the reinforcing fibres increase their mechanical properties dramatically to a level similar to
metal. Compared with unreinforced polymer plates, continuous fibre-reinforced plates
achieve values that are 5 times higher for both tensile strength and Young’s modulus.
Low linear thermal expansion
Continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastics exhibit extremely low coefficients of thermal
expansion (CTE) in a range around 5×10-6 K-1. This property is of great importance for
applications in which the parts are subjected to temperature fluctuations over a broad range
and where high precision is required.
Outstanding mechanical properties
The thermoplastic matrix gives the plates high impact toughness, with the value significantly
higher than in plates with a thermoset matrix such as epoxy or phenolic resins. Moreover, the
high elongation at break of the thermoplastics ensures tough, non-brittle fracture behaviour.
For some applications, the intrinsic vibration damping of the matrix can also be a relevant
advantage.
Made-to-measure plates
Ensinger produces the thermoplastic composite plates to customer-specific requirements,
with maximum dimensions of 525 x 625 mm. The manufacturer is also flexible when it comes
to the plate thickness: in the range 0.5 to 95 mm, any thickness is possible.
Standard products are PEI with reinforcing woven glass fibre as well as PC and PPS with
woven carbon fibre. Other matrix and fibre combinations, fibre architectures or customerspecific
fibre lay-ups can be provided on request.
Fields of application
Fields of application for continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastics include the aerospace
industry, mechanical engineering, the automotive industry and the sports equipment sector.
In particular for the manufacture of prototypes and small batches, stock shapes are of
interest as an affordable option for making small quantities.
Further information
www.ensingerplastics.com/en/thermoplastic-composites/plates
Sales contact: Tel. +41 43 538 23 78, composites@ensingerplastics.com
The Ensinger Group is engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of compounds, semi-finished
materials, composites, finished parts and profiles made from engineering plastics. To process the thermoplastic engineering and high-performance plastics, Ensinger uses a number of production techniques, such as extrusion, machining, injection moulding, custom casting, sintering and pressing. With a total of 2,600 employees at 35 locations, the family-owned enterprise is represented worldwide in all major industrial regions with manufacturing facilities or sales offices.