Steel is the dominant material in traditional shipbuilding. This results in very high weights and correspondingly high energy consumption during operation. Composite materials offer enormous potential for weight reduction in this area. In practice, however, their use is often hindered by two critical factors. First, the materials must achieve high mechanical strength to meet structural requirements. Second, strict fire safety regulations apply, particularly in the maritime sector in accordance with IMO standards.
Off-the-shelf solutions were unable to meet these requirements in the necessary combination. There was a lack of industrially manufacturable sandwich panels that were satisfactory in terms of both structural integrity and fire protection.
For this project , high-strength, flame-retardant GRP sandwich panels were developed and manufactured on an industrial scale. Epoxy resin-based prepreg face sheets were used in combination with PET foams and aluminum honeycomb as core materials. The key factor was not only the combination of materials, but also the ability to press them under controlled conditions, over large areas, at high temperatures, and under high pressing pressures. Coratec ensured that the required pressures and temperatures could be reliably achieved in the industrial process—a key prerequisite for consistent quality and mass-production capability.
The combination of prepreg technology and suitable presses results in a high-strength, homogeneous composite with defined material properties. The GFRP outer layers ensure high mechanical strength and corrosion resistance, while the core materials are specifically tailored to meet weight and structural requirements. At the same time, the systems used comply with the relevant fire safety requirements in shipbuilding, making them suitable for use in safety-critical applications.
The pilot pressings confirmed the industrial feasibility of the developed sandwich panels. The result was high-strength, flame-retardant composite elements that meet the requirements of shipbuilding and can be manufactured on an industrial scale. In addition to maritime applications, this also opens up possibilities for use in other sectors where there are high demands for strength, temperature resistance, corrosion protection, and fire protection.
Material combinations, fire safety requirements, and manufacturing processes can be evaluated early on.
We specialize in sandwich plates 🥪—but this website also serves cookies 🍪. Not the kind you eat, but the digital kind. With your consent.
We specialize in sandwich plates 🥪—but this website also serves cookies 🍪. Not the kind you eat, but the digital kind. With your consent.
