Frequently Asked Questions......
What is it used for?
Making cored
composites with curves, without
delamination, and easier than ever in one
step.
Does it crush
under vacuum?
No, the closed
cells in the foam actually try to swell
under vacuum balancing the bag forces.
How much resin
does it soak up?
Only what the
fibers absorb. About .6 - .75 g resin for
each gram of preform, depending on
processing.
Won't the soft
foam soak up resin, or water?
The foam cores
are closed cell so they don't absorb resin
or water. They are made from the same inert
polymer as are softdrink, gasoline, acetone,
and even styrene containers.
Will the finished
composite be easy to crush?
No. After cure,
the rigid Z-Columns take all the loads
instead of the foam. Just don't poke at it
while the resin is "green" and still
crumbly.
Why is it so
conformable?
The many slender
cores flex and move independently, in the
same way rovings do in 3WEAVE®.
How is it made?
Fibers and foam
are woven all in one step by custom
proprietary 3D weaving machines using the
3TEX 3WEAVE® process.
How thick can it
be?
Standard styles
are 1/4in - 1.0
in, but ZPlex™ has been custom
made thicker.
What about the
face skin thicknesses?
Standard skins
range from 32 oz/yd2 to 76
oz/yd2, including different on each side.
Can it be used in
hand lay-up applications?
Yes, in certain
cases. 54 oz/yd2 skin variants have been
hand laid by wetting the mold side before
laying.
What fibers can
be used in its construction?
3TEX has
produced carbon, S-2 glass, ceramic, and
various hybrid variants to needs.
Standard
products avail. include E-glass, and hybrids
incorporating carbon or colored polyester.
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