WHERE TO USE

Where to use sandwich composites

If you can imagine it, we can probably help you build it. Offering low weight, high strength and great flexibility, applications using sandwich composites can be bent, curved and joined together in an almost limitless range of geometric configurations.

Durable and corrosion-resistant, sandwich composites are gaining ground in almost every industry sector. Today, you will find them in windmills, aircraft interiors, trains and trailers, cargo ships, luxury yachts and satellite dishes. Tomorrow, they will be everywhere. Potential applications for these high-strength, weight-saving materials are limitless.

Reduced weight

Less weight means better fuel efficiency, lower emissions, higher speed, higher payload, longer range and lower transport costs. With lighter and fewer components installations can be done faster and cheaper. Sandwich composites provide excellent mechanical properties to much lower weight than traditional monolithic materials, such as steel. They can also be engineered with extreme precision to their loading requirements.

Diab Truck on road

 

Reduced environmental impact

Sandwich structures contribute to the development of a more sustainable society. Firstly, due to their low-density properties, the cores themselves require a small amount of raw material, which also means that relatively little must be transported from the source to the construction site. Secondly, the lightweight and aerodynamic sandwich design reduces fuel consumption and emission throughout the entire lifetime of the application, saving both cost and the environment. Thirdly, very few or no additional natural resources are needed to repair or renew the applications, since composite materials are weather and corrosion-resistant, which means a minimum of maintenance and a long lifespan.

Increased strength

Applications that require a very high strength material at the lowest possible weight benefit greatly from a sandwich structure since they can be designed to be both strong and light. Also, when something is built with metal, and greater strength is required in one direction, the total structure ends up even heavier. Composites can be engineered to be strong in a specific direction and still be light weight.

Design flexibility

When you need a very specific shape for your application, a composite solution is your answer.  Composites can be molded into almost any shape, which gives full design freedom. When building sandwich composite structures, the materials are shapeable until the last stage of production in which they get their final shape. This allows for non-linear and smooth designs, which can be done not only for esthetic but also aerodynamic reasons. The skins of a sandwich could be of any material such as fiber-reinforced plastics, metal, wood, decorative laminates and even ceramics. All for the purpose of the final application or design aspect.

Diab Boat construction

 

Minimal maintenance

Sandwich composites save cost and a lot of hassle since non-organic materials are not sensitive to rot or decay. Structures built with sandwich composites resist damage from severe weather and harsh environment.

Nonmagnetic

Fiber composites do not contain any metal, cannot be discovered by mines if used in navy ship structures and are possible to use around sensitive electronic equipment.

Radar transparent

A sandwich radome allow signals to pass through with little loss of transmission, which makes composites ideal for use with radar equipment, whether on the ground or in the air.

Low thermal conductivity

Composites are good insulators since they don’t easily conduct heat or cold. They can be used in buildings for doors, panels and windows where extra protection is needed from severe weather.

Additional benefits

In our wide range of core materials, you will find many other benefits, including fire resistance, sound insulation, very low water absorption, ease of repair, dielectric properties and component integration.

Markets

Diab Sailing Boat

Sailing boats

Optimised foam core solutions tailored to reduce weight and improve sailing performances.

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Motor boats

Light-weight materials for small boats to mega yachts, for pleasure or racing.

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Diab core materials for Commercial Boats

Electric boats

Lightweight core materials for battery-powered ferries, personal watercraft and private fishing boats.

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Diab core materials for Seingen electric fishing boat

Commercial vessels

Our core materials make ships, ferries, pilot boats, fishing vessels, rescue crafts, etc. faster and more fuel efficient.

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Navy vessels

Composite materials for a lighter and faster vessel with low radar transmission properties.

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Diab Other Marine

Other marine

Materials with good fatigue life for rowboats for racing and leisure, surfboards, kayaks and canoes.

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Diab Core materials for cryogenic insulation

LNG vessels and land-based storage tanks

Core solutions for LNG vessels and land-based storage tanks

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Diab core material in Envirotainer

Shelters & Containers

Core materials for shelters and containers in demanding environments

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Diab core materials for surfing boards

Sports & leisure

High-end core materials for surfing boards, wakeboards, hockey sticks and high-end bicycle details.

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Diab core materials for building and construction

Facades

Innovative facade solutions for bold and beautiful architecture

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Roofs & Domes

Core solutions for iconic roofs and domes

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Architecture & Interior design

Strong and lightweight core materials for architecture, interiors, and furniture design

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Infrastructure

Lightweight, durable materials for modern infrastructure

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ROVs

Reliable buoyancy solutions for ROVs

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AUVs & UUVs

Advanced materials for AUVs & UUVs

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Submarines

High-performance buoyancy foam and sandwich core solutions

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Diving bells

Reliable buoyancy for human presence underwater

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Buoyancy for floats and tooling

Precision buoyancy for subsea systems

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Offshore installation

Buoyancy solutions for offshore installation

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Wave & Tidal energy

Resilient cores for renewable innovation below the surface

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Diab core materials for applications in commercial aviation

Seating

Reduce weight, improve efficiency, and enhance passenger experience with innovative core solutions for aircraft seating

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Cabin interiors

Reduce weight, improve efficiency, and enhance passenger experience with innovative core solutions for cabin interiors.

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Diab core materials for applications in general aviation

General aviation & biz jet structures

Light-weight core materials supporting high-performance primary and secondary structures in general aviation and biz jet structures

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Diab core materials for trolleys

Trolleys

Food trolleys, galley inserts and air containers benefit from light-weight core sandwich solutions.

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Diab core materials for radomes

Radomes

Materials with excellent dielectric properties for weather radomes and satcom/Wifi radomes.

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Diab core materials for applications in urban air mobility

Urban Air Mobility

Light-weight materials for UAM and eVTOL aircraft, a new way to transport passenger and goods

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Space systems

Reliable core solutions for composite components in space systems

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Diab core material for wind blade design and construction

Blades

Blades made of core materials significantly contribute to the effectiveness of wind turbine generators.

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Diab core material in nacelles and spinners

Nacelles & Spinners

Core materials with excellent strength-to-weight ratio are ideal for nacelle roofs, floors and walls.

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Also read about

Diab Sandwich technology

Sandwich technology

Learn more about the sandwich construction, how it works and in which application it can be beneficial.

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How to use structural core materials from Diab

How to use

With different manufacturing methods we can help you make the most of your composite core solution.

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