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Composite materials vs. metal sheet technology

Name
ID

Formal Repot presented to Dr. M. Packirisamy

December 5th, 2022
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Abstract

Sheet metal technology is one of the oldest methods of manufacturing. Its existence is

essential for modern manufacturing technics to exist. They can be easily separated into

different parts, and their strength and lightweight properties are essential in certain

industries. They are used in aerospace applications, automotive industries, and more.

Since they started being used, engineers and scientists have been trying to find better

alternatives, and recently that alternative has been the use of composite materials. Due

to their advantageous physical traits and variety of options, composite materials have

become more widely used in many industries.

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Table of content

Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4

Metal Sheets Technology ................................................................................................ 5

Composite Materials........................................................................................................ 7

Comparison between Metal sheets and Composite materials……………......................10

Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 12

References ................................................................................................................... 13
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INTRODUCTION

Contrarily to composite materials, Metal sheets started being used later in history. The

Industrial Revolution kick started the modern forms of metal sheet. Its low-cost and facility

of manufacturing cause it to became widely used [2]. Composite materials are one of the

oldest methods for making strong and usable materials. In the early years of there

utilisation, they achieved proprieties that other materials alone can not achieve. For

example, native in South America used to reinforce their pottery by using plant fibers [1].

As time passed more complex types of composites were created like reinforced concrete

and more recently Carbon Fibers.

First, we will define the metal sheets and composites materials and then we will compare

them.
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Metal Sheet Technologies

Metal sheets and their application

Metal sheets are flat piece of metal which size and thickness changes depending on the

application. They are on of the most important materials used in multiple industries. The

products created with metal sheet technology can be basic parts to complex products like

medical equipment and aerospace product. Multiple aspect explains there use in those

industries. For example, for the aerospace industry, where lightness of the material is

vital, Metal sheets represent a perfect answer to those problems. Also, Metal sheet

technology can be easily manufactured helping compagnies to produce components

quickly and with not a lot of waste [3]. It also has many advantages over other metal

fabrication processes, including its speed of manufacturing and its ability to create

multiple shapes. The most common materials used in metal sheet technology are

aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, and stainless steel. Stainless steel is used due to its

strength and durability and aluminum is chosen for metal sheet technology because it is

lightweight and corrosion resistant [4].

Fabrication of metal sheets

Metal sheets are made in different ways. Some types of metal sheets are made with

processes like hot rolling, cold rolling, and press forming.

 Hot rolled metal sheets are made by heating up metal slabs until they are malleable

and then put them through a series of rollers to reduce the thickness to the desired

size and to increase the length of the sheet. Cold rolled metal sheets are made by
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running the metal slabs through rollers at room temperature instead of high

temperatures. [5]

 Pressed metal sheets are made by taking a metal slab and then pressing it into

the desired shape. This is done by a hydraulic press or stamping machine as seen

on figure 1. [6]

Figure 1: direct method of hot stamping [7]

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Composite materials

Composite materials and their application

Composite materials are composed of multiple materials that are combined to form one

with combined properties [16]. The materials used in a composite material include

metals, plastics, ceramics, glass fibers, etc. [12]. Depending on the type of composite,

the properties can vary a lot. Modern types of composites have advanced the

manufacturing and capabilities of multiple industries.

 Those industries include [8]:

o Automotive – composite materials are used to make parts such as body

panels, engine covers, but it is most used on performance cars.

o Construction – composite materials are used to build bridges, buildings, and

other structures (reinforced concrete).

o Naval industry– composite materials are used to make structures of the

boats.

o Medical – composite materials are used to make prosthetics and various

medical equipment.

o Aerospace – composite is used on the wings and body the plane as see on

Figure 2
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Figure 2: The use of composites materials in the Boeing 787 [8]

Fabrication of composite materials

All composite materials have their own methods of fabrication, in general they follow the

same main steps which are:

 Mixing is the first step in the fabrication process. We combine the materials in the

desired proportions and mixed them [11]. Tow examples are shown for mixing for

polymers fibers in Figure 3

Figure 3: Dry and wet spinning process [11]

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 Molding is the process of shaping the composite material by using pressure

vacuum or heat. The mold is either made using metal or plastic and it is filled with

the composite material and treated. The material is then finished, allowing it to take

on the desired shape [9][10].

 Curing is the process of hardening the composite material. This is typically done

by heating the material in an oven until it reaches the desired temperature. This

process solidifies the material and helps it retain the desired shape [13].

 The final step in the fabrication process is finishing step. Depending on the

industries different finishing requirement are needed. The finishing step can be the

most important step depending on the application. For example, in the medical

industry, different type of finishing can lead to different impact on the health of the

patient [14]. After finishing, the composite material is ready for use.

For every application, it is important to choose the right technique. Each method has its

own advantages and disadvantages and selecting the wrong technique can result in

problems in the usability of the component.

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Comparison between Metal Sheets and Composite materials

Metal sheets and composite materials are used in very similar industries, and sometimes

the choice the use one over the other must be made. So, it is important to compare them

to make the best decision.

One of the main differences between metal sheet and composite is that metal sheet is

relatively easy to work with and can formed relatively easily because the manufacturing

process for metal sheet technology are more widely used and accessible. Component

made using metal sheet have lower manufacturing speed which means that more can be

made high volume manufacturing.

Metal sheet have also their problem if we compare them to composite materials. Metal

sheet are heavier than composite materials, which can make it difficult to transport and

install. Also, composite materials can be designed to be incredibly strong and lightweight,

making them ideal for aerospace and naval industries. Some composites are much more

resistant to corrosion and other damage than metals and more shapes can be achieved

using them compared to using metal sheets [15]. Different materials can be combined to

change the properties of the base material, such as high electrical insulation or strength

in one direction, some examples are present on Figure 4. This means that composite is

more versatile.
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Figure 4: Comparison of Characteristics Of different Materials [19]

Price is also another important difference between both materials. Metal sheets are more

affordable than most types of composite materials which means they have a good

balance between strength and affordability making them the best option for many

industries like car manufacturing [17]. For more specialised application where cost is not

a factor when making the component, composite materials can be the better choice [18].

In the end, the best material depends on the requirements, like the price or mechanical

aspect needed for the component.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, metal sheets and composite materials have their advantages and the

choice of the best material to use depends on the specific purpose and requirements of

that application. Metal sheets are cost-effective, but composite materials are lighter and

cost more. In the end, the material used must be chosen based on its properties and the

requirement for the application.

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References
[1] Gibson, Ronald F.. (2016). Principles of Composite Material Mechanics (4th
Edition). CRC Press. Retrieved from
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composite

[2] Alpha Manufacturing Online Available: https://formlabs.com/blog/sheet-metal-

forming/

[3] Formlabs (Online) Available: https://formlabs.com/blog/sheet-metal-forming/

[4] QuestTech (Online) Available: https://questtech.ca/blog/common-types-of-sheet-

metal/

[5] Reliance Foundry (Online) Available: https://www.reliance-foundry.com/blog/hot-vs-

cold-rolled-steel

[6] Engineering Specialties, Inc (ESI) (Online Available: https://www.esict.com/what-is-

metal-stamping/

[7] Altan, Taylan Tekkaya, A. Erman. (2012). Sheet Metal Forming - Processes and
Applications. ASM International. Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpSMFPA001/sheet-metal-forming-processes-
2/sheet-metal-forming-processes-2

[8] Addcomposite (Online) Available: https://www.addcomposites.com/post/where-are-

composites-used

[9] Composites World (online) Available:

https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/fabrication-methods
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[10] D. Dixit, R. Pal, G. Kapoor, M. Stabenau, Lightweight composite materials

processing Available:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081004067000064

[11] Chung, Deborah D.L.. (1994). Carbon Fiber Composites. Elsevier. Retrieved from
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpCFC00012/carbon-fiber-composites/carbon-fiber-
composites

[12] Y.K. Kim , Natural fibre composites (NFCs) for construction and automotive
industries, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781845696986500085

[13] Thomas Bayerl, Miro Duhovic, Peter Mitschang, Debes Bhattacharyya,

The heating of polymer composites by electromagnetic induction,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359835X13002996

[14] Pocket Dentistry, (online) Available: https://pocketdentistry.com/composite-

finishing-and-polishing/

[15] Fortify, (Online) Available: https://3dfortify.com/composites-replace-traditional-

materials/#:~:text=Composites%20have%20less%20fracture%20toughness,structures
%20like%20wind%20turbine%20blades.

[16] Mazumdar, S. K. Composites Manufacturing: Materials, Product, and Process

Engineering; CRC Press: Boca Raton, Fla., 2002.
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oupVariantRecords=false

[17] Shama Rao N., Simha T. G. A., Rao K. P. and Ravi Kumar G. V. V. CARBON
COMPOSITES ARE BECOMING COMPETITIVE AND COST EFFECTIVE Available :
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composites-cost-effective.pdf

[18] Bold (Online) Available: https://boldvaluable.tech/blog/carbon-fiber/

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[19] Gay, D. Composite Materials: Design and Applications, Third.; CRC Press, Taylor
& Francis: Boca Raton, 2015.
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osite%20material%20car&databaseList=&clusterResults=true&groupVariantRecords=fal
se