Product Selector

The following is to help select what product may be the best for you application.[spacer height=”10px”]

Material selection:[spacer height=”10px”]

The following table compares properties of a number of materials (values are for comparison only):[spacer height=”15px”]

Product Tensile strength Strength/same weight High temp Easy cut Price Abrasion resistant
  mPa reference is glass
High strength steel 690 230 yes no na na
Nylon 45 100 no yes low good
Glass: plain weave 3600 3600 yes yes mid ok
glass: twill weave 3600+ 3600+ yes yes mid ok
Glass: satin weave 3600+ 3600+ yes yes mid ok
Glass: 6 oz / 200g 3600 3600 yes yes mid ok
Glass: 9 oz / 300 g 3600 3600 yes yes mid ok
Glass roving 24 oz / 800 g 3600 3600 yes yes mid ok
Basalt Glass 4850 4850 yes++ yes higher better
Aramid (Kevlar) fiber 3600 6400 no no highest best
Carbon fiber 5650 8500 yes+++ yes highest no

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Glass, Kevlar and Carbon are much stronger than steel and nylon. Glass will provide high strength, is reasonably priced, but is heavier than Kevlar and Carbon.

If you need great strength and resistance to abrasion, Kevlar is your choice.

If you need high strength and low weight, carbon is your choice.[spacer height=”20px”]

Fabric selection:[spacer height=”10px”]

The type of weave and the yarn used impact the physical properties of the fabric.

The following table provides a comparison of what a weave does to a fabric:[spacer height=”20px”]

Item changed Strength Weight Permeability Thickness
More # ends in weft higher higher lower higher
More # ends in warp higher higher lower higher
Larger Size of the ends higher higher lower higher
Plain weave s s s s
4h Satin weave + s +
8h satin weave ++ s ++
Twill weave + s +
Mock leno weave s ++ +++

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The cost of the fabric goes up with the weight of the fabric and also with some of the more complex weaves.