Environment and material
Sandwich construktion and composite
Havsterk’s products are made of the strong and versatile material composite.
Composite, according to SINTEF is a material composed of two or more individual materials, usually plastic materials reinforced with continuous fibers. The fibers give strength and stiffness, while the matrix, normally thermoset plastic, bind the fibers and protect against environmental pressures and external damages. Havsterk utilizes resin as matrix and different types of fibers. This composition is called FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic).
Composite increases performance and is currently popular in many industries.
Composite was first developed for use in the aviation and aerospace industries with the aim of developing a material in which could give increased performance. Driving this development was the fact that no homogenous construction materials available at the time encompassed all the sought-after properties for their intended purposes. Composite is currently used in many industries, for instance, boat and shipbuilding, maritime, offshore, construction, military and the car industry. Common for these industries is that corrosion resistance, longevity, low weight, and freedom of design are important.
Composite increases performance and is currently popular in many industries.
Composite was first developed for use in the aviation and aerospace industries with the aim of developing a material in which could give increased performance. Driving this development was the fact that no homogenous construction materials available at the time encompassed all the sought-after properties for their intended purposes. Composite is currently used in many industries, for instance, boat and shipbuilding, maritime, offshore, construction, military and the car industry. Common for these industries is that corrosion resistance, longevity, low weight, and freedom of design are important.
Composite has lower maintenance costs and is more environmental friendly than traditional materials.
Composite has many advantages compared to traditional materials such as aluminum, concrete and steel:
- High mechanical strength
- Low weight
- Corrosion resistance to salt and frost
- Great design possibilities
- Versatile material combinations
All of which lead to noticeably reduced maintenance costs. Composite is an environmentally friendly alternative to other materials, as demonstrated by a study comparing the composite bridge in Fredrikstad, Norway with bridges made of concrete and steel. The bridge made of composite weighed 40% lower than steel and 30% lower than concrete, and had the lowest accumulated energy content and CO2 footprint. Read more about the study here.
Vacuum Infusion Process and PuraCoat make Havsterk’s composite even stronger.
Vacuum Infusion Process, or VIP, is a technique used to mold composite, giving it lower weight and more strength. This technique utilizes vacuum pressure to drive resin into the laminate. The benefits of using this method is that one can take better advantage of the fiber-to-resin ratio because one prevents the resin from becoming redundant, and it creates less mess and time saved in the process.
PuraCoat is a fire retardant, wear and chemical-resistant, homogenous coating, which is sprayed on the hull of the HAVtruck with a thickness of 3-5 mm. This technique has been used offshore for many decades on equipment exposed to powerful mechanical stresses, such as hits and rough use on the ocean floor.
To take full advantage of composite, Havsterk’s products are made in sandwich constructions.
Sandwich makes it possible to utilize each material component optimally. Sandwich materials have a high weight-to-stiffness ratio. Composite laminates have equal or higher strength compared to metals like aluminum and steel, but a lower stiffness profile. The lower stiffness is compensated for by using composite materials in a sandwich construction. Havsterk uses DIAB Group’s sandwich material