What Is Carbon Fiber?
Carbon fiber is a multi-functional strengthening material that has progressively gained popularity in recent years. Carbon fiber, also known as graphite fiber, is remarkable in that it is five times stronger than steel, twice as rigid, and extraordinarily light. Carbon fiber is therefore ideal for vehicle parts as well as wind turbines utilized in alternate energy production.
Furthermore, carbon fiber is still widely used to strengthen resins and ceramics. Plastic Service Center can meet your carbon fiber needs with high-quality materials at affordable pricing. As a result, it will be easier for you to learn about the potential of carbon fiber in your industry.
The Benefits of Carbon Fiber Over Other Manufacturing Materials
Plastic Service Center provides high-quality carbon fiber for your business needs in addition to thermoplastic resins, glass fiber, and glass beads. As previously said, this material is both strong (with high tensile strength) and lightweight. As a result, it readily maintains structural integrity in autos and planes without adding weight to the final product.
Carbon fiber is also very corrosion resistant, according to various research. Because of the strength of its carbon-to-carbon bond, it resists oxidation and will not be harmed by a harsh environment. Carbon fiber is therefore suitable for boats, cars, and other items that are frequently exposed to saltwater or corrosive chemicals.
Carbon fiber also has a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), which is a useful property that prevents the material from changing form when heated. Carbon fiber is a good choice for creating components that are exposed to high temperatures during production because of this, as well as its low heat conductivity.
Finally, this fiber has a reputation for being a chameleon in the manufacturing industry since it can take many different forms. Carbon fiber keeps its impressive properties when woven, cut, or spun into filaments. As a result, it's found in everything from musical instruments to protective jackets, sports equipment, and high-end automobile parts.
Why Carbon Fiber Is So Much Better Than Steel
When developing composite materials, it's impossible to compare the qualities of carbon fiber to those of steel, aluminum, or most other metals since these materials are homogenous (properties are the same across the part) and have isotropic qualities (properties are the same along all axes). In a carbon fiber part, however, strength is concentrated along the fiber axis, therefore fiber characteristics and orientation have a significant influence on mechanical qualities. Carbon fiber materials are neither homogenous nor isotropic in general.
Carbon fiber parts have properties similar to steel and have a weight similar to that of plastic. Carbon fiber parts have a substantially greater strength-to-weight ratio (as well as stiffness-to-weight ratio) than steel or plastic parts. The exact details are determined by the part's manufacturing and application. In bending, for example, a foam-core sandwich has an extraordinarily high strength-to-weight ratio, but not in compression or crush.
Furthermore, every component's loading and boundary conditions are specific to the building in which it is housed. As a result, we are unable to supply the thickness of the carbon fiber plate that would be required to replace the steel plate in your application.
Plastic Service Centers: Thermoplastic Distributors Michigan
Plastic Service Centers, based in Clinton Township, Michigan, is a renowned plastic distributor throughout the United States, allowing us to service our clients more easily and effectively. For every single plastic order, we collaborate with our clients to achieve great quality and great pricing. You can trust PSC com to be your experts in the processing of plastics and fulfilling the need for any kind of new plastic services.
Plastic Service Centers can provide you with availability from our inventory of over 4,000,000 pounds! Plastic resins in bulk, such as thermoplastic resins, PVC shrinkage, and plastic PVC board, and nylon shrinkage, are all available. We can also supply prime, generic, or wide-specification custom compounds and engineered resins, as well as carbon fiber, automotive resin polymers, and commodity polymers.
Our relationships with our manufacturers and logistics partners are paramount, and this allows access to the plastic resin products you need at the time and place you need them. We have competitive pricing on all our plastic resin supply, including our in-house surplus resins.
Just give us a call (586) 307-3900 if you have questions or would like to request a quote or fill out the contact form on our website!