Glass filament fabrics - Interesting facts about glass filament fabrics

Glass filament fabrics are fiber systems that are "woven" crossed at right angles. In weaving, crossing rows of threads are pulled through parallel rows of threads. The basic rows of threads are called "warp" and the crossing rows of threads "weft". The close-meshed warp and weft rows result in different types of fabric. The most important weave types of glass filament fabrics / glass fabrics are plain weave, twill weave and satin weave.

Glass filament fabric can be processed with both polyester resin and epoxy resin.

The plain weave glass filament fabric has the tightest crossing of warp and weft. The pattern of this glass filament fabric is reminiscent of a chess board. The advantage of the plain weave lies in its high resistance to displacement. The disadvantage of this fabric is its low drapability. The plain weave is recommended for components with a less pronounced spatial structure.

The glass filament fabric in twill weave is characterized by the fact that it has fewer weft rows for a given warp row compared to plain weave. This increases drapability while reducing slip resistance. The twill weave is recommended for components with a medium three-dimensional structure.

The glass filament fabric in satin weave is characterized by the fact that it has fewer weft rows for a given warp row compared to twill weave. This increases the drapability (compared to twill weave) while reducing the resistance to displacement. The satin weave is recommended for components with a large spatial structure and complex geometry.

One disadvantage of glass filament fabric is its undulation. Undulation is the waviness of fibers. Since the fibers of glass filament fabric are not unidirectionally stretched, undulation is unavoidable. Increasing undulation reduces the rigidity and compressive strength of the workpiece. One way of compensating for this disadvantage is to use glass fiber scrims in combination with glass filament fabrics in the laminate structure. Such a laminate structure combines the advantages of glass fiber fabric and glass fiber fabric and is often used in mold making.

For laminates with glass filament fabric, a special layer structure should be observed. The first layer should be laminated at a 0° angle and the second layer at a 45° angle. The third layer should then be set to a 90° angle. If more layers are to be laminated, then the next layer should be laminated again at a 90° angle, then at a 45° angle, then at a 0° angle, and so on. This structure is called a symmetrical structure. This prevents internal stresses in the laminate.