FAQ's
1. What is fibreglass?
Basically, fibreglass fibres are made from melted glass extruded at specific diameters. These fibres are then bundled together for different applications. Fibreglass is used in many applications including building insulation where it is layered to form blankets that are inserted into walls and ceilings. But most often when people speak of fibreglass they are referring to GRP’s or Glass Reinforced Plastics. You may also see these same products referred to as Fibreglass Reinforced Plastics (FRP’s), Fibreglass Reinforced Products, Fibreglass Reinforced Polyesters, or as a general category of manufacturing materials called composites.
2. What are your products made out of?
First and foremost Fibreglass (GRP), there is a lot of companies claiming to sell GRP products and not Fibreglass.
As already said, GRP stands for Glass Reinforced Plastic; this can include fibreglass, carbon or Kevlar. Unless otherwise stated, all our products are made out of FIBREGLASS. In this current market there are rarely any plastic aftermarket exterior enhancements available in the form of bumpers etc, this is simply because the demand for such products is relatively small compared to a standard product.
3. How is fibreglass used in GRP’s?
Fiberglass fibres are gathered into bundles and then the bundles are combined to create a roving. Roving’s are a continuous rope, like a twine, made from fibreglass fibres. GRP’s are made from roving’s that are either chopped into short strands or woven into cloth. The fibreglass material is then impregnated with resins and then either sprayed into a mould, drawn through a die, hand laid into a mould or wrapped around a plug to give the product its desired shape. Through different processes or chemical reactions, the GRP is hardened into a solid piece.
4. PROS and CONS for fibreglass?
PROS
· Lightweight and durable
· Easy to customise
· Resistance to corrosion
· No risk of warping (under normal weather conditions)
· Long lasting
Cons
· If made poorly it can be very hard to reshape as GRP products are thermosets, once they are cured they are very rigid.
· Fibreglass products can crack if put under extreme pressure.
5. What is a plug?
A plug is a part or a replica of a part that a mould is pulled from. A plug can be the part itself (in many instances) or made from urethane foam or wood in the shape of the required part. The plug is can sometimes be destroyed in the process of making the mould.
6. What is a mould?
All our parts are "pulled" from a mould. This is the form or shape that is in a sense the mirror image of the part itself. The fibreglass and resin are sprayed or laid into the mould to make the shape of the product or part. The number of moulds made to produce a given purchase order depends on the number of parts scheduled to be made, and the urgency of the order. Since only one item can be in the mould at a time, the faster parts need to be turned out, the more moulds are required for simultaneous production.
7. Why is carbon fibre more expensive than fibreglass
There are three primary reasons for this:
· All of the primary raw materials are expensive.
· Construction of each product is complex, there are many materials that are used to produce the final product.
· The construction of each product is labour intensive and must be done by a skilled composite technician. There is no way for machinery to build the products.
Be warned – a lot of the carbon fibre on the market today is FAKE.
8. What are the benefits of carbon fibre?
Benefits include:
· Very high strength to weight ratio
· High resistance to fatigue
· Harmonic dampening characteristics
· Impact resistance
· Low coefficient of thermal expansion
· Resistance to corrosion
9. Will the parts come with fitting kits?
Unless otherwise stated the parts do not come with fitting kits. Generally if you have purchased and OEM replica part, original fixings can be used, if not you can use our fitting guides for how we would fit the item.