Composite Panels

There are a number of components to any composite panel; the facing, the core and the adhesive to hold it all together. Each of these will affect the material weight, its strength and its performance characteristics. Generally, the faces are extremely strong and the core is lightweight and very much weaker, but with the use of an excellent adhesive the benefits of both can be realised. Epoxy Glass, Carbon and Aramid materials are used along with a variety of cores such as Aluminium, meta-Aramid and Foams to make stiff light panels. Custom panels can be made using UD, X-Ply and isotropic fibres as well as woven cloths.

 

Honeycomb Panels
A range of honeycomb cored panels is available. Aluminium or Epoxy/Glass or carbon skins can be combined with Corex 3003 aluminium honeycomb core. As a result they offer excellent strength to weight ratios at a competitive price. These can be provided in a standard size of 2400x1200mm or cut to size in varying thicknesses. Other dimensions are available subject to enquiry. The skin thickness can also be adjusted to meet the customers’ needs.

Nomex™ cored boards with a variety of skins can also be supplied. These are panels with Nomex™ high temperature resistant fibrous aramid honeycomb and either Carbon or Glass fibre skins. In addition to the weight saving advantage, these panels are characterised as self extinguishing in fire with low smoke emission making panels the obvious choice for fire or corrosion sensitive applications.

The ease of machining and the inherent flexibility of both cores mean that a variety of profiled shapes and contoured components can be produced. Panels may be supplied ready to paint or with decorative or hardwearing finishes bonded to them.

 

Foam Panels
A large range of Rigid foams are available to be combined with Epoxy/Glass, Epoxy/Carbon or metal Skins. By choosing the correct combination of cores and skins the properties can be customised to customer requirements. Rigid foams such as Styrofoam extruded polystyrene, Polyurethane, Polyisocyanurate (PIR), Mineral fibre lamella, Phenolic foam, Diab,Syntactic,PVC etc can be used to combine the correct properties. These can be provided in a standard size of 2400x1200mm or cut to size in varying thicknesses. Other dimensions are available subject to enquiry. The skin thickness can also be adjusted to meet the customers’ needs.

Laminates:

Heathcotes have 3 laminating lines capable of widths up to 1.7m.These laminate reels of paper, plastic and metal using adhesives or heat. Typical products are:-

Sign Facing materials & Sign Boards
A large number of sign facing films, reflective films and over-laminating protective films can be laminated to a variety of substrates from 1mm thick white plastic to painted Aluminium.

High performance packaging
Highly decorative films and mirror effects are laminated to materials such as 160-500 g.s.m. white card. Various decorative cloths are laminated to card in order to make highly decorative packaging of greetings cards.

Self Adhesive plastics
A range of adhesives are laminated to either rigid sheets or flexible films in order to make them “self-adhesive”. The adhesive is normally backed with a paper or filmic release liner.

Foil laminates
Very thin aluminium foil is heat laminated to polypropylene film in order to make high quality mirror effect film.

High performance foams
Foams such as Silicone, Diab or others are laminated with Acrylic or other adhesives in order to make them “Self-adhesive”.

Graffiti resistant films
A range of graffiti resistant films are over-laminated onto other films in order to give them protection from scratching etc.

Touch Screen panelling
Various thickness polyester films are laminated with thin layers of polycarbonate in order to produce screens that can be used as “Touch Screens”.

Solar cell films
Photo Voltaic or PV films are laminated to substrate and absorber layers in order to produce energy absorbing films.

Reflective signs
High intensity reflective films are laminated to various substrates such as aluminium sheet or other rigid boards.

Glow in the Dark boards and films
Photo luminescent films are adhesive coated and can be laminated to various substrates.