Sport
Manufacturers of leisure equipment and high end sporting goods are increasingly turning to technical textiles and composites to optimize their product compositions. It is of no importance whether the aim is to achieve a particularly uniform surface appearance, cost-effective production for the mass market or additional reinforcement for high-performance sports.
Low weight
When it comes to skis, snowboards, helmets, tennis rackets and the like, weight is a decisive factor in the case of sports equipment and the corresponding accessories. The final product should be as light as possible and at the same time be able to withstand the forces it is subjected to when used.
The incorporation of multiaxial non-crimp fabrics or hybrid non-crimp fabrics makes this possible. The fibers can be aligned in various directions, allowing maximum force absorption in the predetermined direction. Compared to conventional reinforcement fabrics, the use of multiaxial or hybrid non-crimp fabrics achieves the same result with fewer layers. The reduced number of layers also impacts positively on the overall weight.
A hybrid NCF can provide a component with further additional properties through the different materials used.
Optimized resin flow
Combiflow products from the Vitrulan range of resin flow products are used to improve the flow properties of a reinforcement product. These consist of a particularly permeable and elastic flow medium that is stitched together with layers of chopped fibers. This guarantees a faster, controlled flow of resin throughout the process.
Especially strong
To ensure a long service life, sports equipment such as skis, snowboards or tennis rackets must offer a high flexural and torsional strength (warp resistant) so that they do not break during use.
Multiaxial non-crimp fabrics or hybrid non-crimp fabrics are ideal for this purpose as their individually alignable fibers can absorb bending and torsion forces that may arise and dissipate them without damage occurring.
Some sports equipment needs the right amount of elasticity to adapt perfectly to the environment as well as to the athlete. At the same time, their resilience must not be compromised due to this more elastic construction method.
Thanks to the various possible combinations of fiber materials, Vitrulan technical fabrics can be tailored to specific requirements.
By combining a flow medium with one or more layers of structural reinforcements, such as multiaxial non-crimp fabrics, hybrid non-crimp fabrics or technical fabrics, it is possible to increase strength and stiffness simultaneously in certain directions.
The Multiflow range of resin flow products by Vitrulan can be customized to suit the intended application.
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Good drapability
Good drapability is particularly important for the injection process (RTM Light and RTM) to prevent wrinkling or the creation of resin-rich areas that can be prone to cracking.
Our multiaxial non-crimp fabrics, hybrid non-crimp fabrics and woven hybrid fabrics can be tailored to suit specific applications, allowing them to be used even in difficult molds.
Combiflow is one of Vitrulan’s resin flow products, which is able to adapt easily even to difficult molds due to its elastic material.
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Quick mold loading
Using stitchbonded mats is a simple way to improve working efficiency, as one layer is equivalent to four separate layers of reinforcement.