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Given that composite materials offer many properties that regular metals cannot, product manufacturers often look to composite specialists to craft parts to replace those made of simple traditional metals.
If you’re currently manufacturing a product with metal parts, you might be interested in finding out whether replacing some of those components with composite counterparts would be worthwhile. If so, here are some factors to consider:
When Metal Parts Wear Out
If you’re using metals for their durability but find that they still wear out quicker than you desire, it is time to consider whether a composite replacement is possible.
You may be trying to create a product that can achieve a particular function that requires durable parts, or you’re interested in increasing the quality of the product you offer so it will be more reliable for your clients. In either case, choosing a composite material is likely the only way to achieve your desired result.
This is because composite materials can offer a higher standard of durability than most metals commonly used in manufacturing, or they can provide a lightweight option that will work for your needs.
Increased Performance
Worn-out parts result in increased downtime due to parts failure. Suppose you’ve designed an aerospace, nautical or land vehicle and experience a failure of certain parts. In this case, your vehicle may be able to accomplish the immediate goals you seek to achieve, such as passing a speed test, but at the cost of an unacceptable maintenance demand.
In such cases, a composite material that is designed to be lighter and stronger may be what you need to get your prototype back on track.
Designing Parts with a Composites Expert
The best way to ensure whether a composite replacement will work for your needs is to contact a carbon fiber composite manufacturing specialist who can offer extensive knowledge about many composite products.
While composite materials are highly adaptable and, as such, highly likely to be able to replace parts previously constructed using basic materials, only a composites expert will have the knowledge required to create an intuitive solution to your need.
Designing a Prototype
Given that introducing a simple replacement part into your product carries the potential to improve its performance dramatically, it is always worth investigating your options. Composite manufacturers are accustomed to introducing new ideas to manufacturers, so they are usually well-equipped to construct a prototype of your design idea.
Gaining access to a prototype will usually help you to determine whether the replacement is going to be successful or not. It may also point the way to redesigning a component of your item so that the properties of the new composite material will be able to be used to their full potential. When you’re working with composite materials, there’s no substitute for the useful knowledge of an expert in composite manufacturing. To get a sense of the process you’ll encounter when considering replacing a part with a composite item, contact a manufacturer to discuss your needs. That one conversation may just lead to a new million-dollar idea.
