Home / News / R-TECH Materials completes ten years in composite industry

R-TECH Materials completes ten years in composite industry

03 Apr '18

2 min read

Courtesy: R-techmaterial

R-TECH Materials, UK’s polymer and composites laboratory, is celebrating its tenth year of testing composites for the marine industry. The Port Talbot-based laboratory has worked with several key players in the marine industry including Lloyd’s Register, providers of professional services for engineering and technology and a maritime classification society.

Lloyd appointed R-TECH Materials as its exclusive global laboratory in 2012 to test composite samples, components, and products to ensure they are suitable for a life at sea. R-TECH Materials has conducted over 100 tests for Lloyd’s Register, including failure analysis on corroded water systems from a super yacht; a liquid gas pipework and a swing arm from a jetty.

By running a variety of laboratory tests, R-TECH Materials 22-strong team of highly qualified engineers, materials scientists, and chemists can characterise the composite material; check if it’s fit for market; identify quality issues; solve processing problems and determine why a product has failed. They can perform reverse or back engineering – revealing how, and from what, a material has been made.

R-TECH Materials can also manufacture hand lay-up laminates using exactly the same methods as traditional boat builders to ensure authentic results.

Geraint Havard, R-TECH Material’s composites manager said, “We’re delighted to be celebrating our tenth year testing materials for the marine industry, six of which have been with Lloyd’s Register as their global laboratory, collaborating with them on common research themes. Over this time we’ve developed a particular specialism in the independent testing of polymers and composites and our rigorous tests – which determine mechanical, thermal and chemical properties – help our clients fully understand the materials, components and products they are producing and how they will behave in a marine environment.”

Mayur Jogia from Lloyd’s Register said, “Six years ago, we started working with R-TECH Materials to provide one-stop approval testing of laminating resin, gelcoat resin, fibre-reinforcements. This successful relationship has now been extended to offer client approval testing of chocking resin, not only for LR material certification, but also for EU RO mutual recognition certification.”

R-TECH Materials also works with aerospace and automotive sectors testing the mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties of non-metallic materials, components, and products. These include plastics and fibre-reinforced composites for material approval and characterisation, to identify quality issues, solve processing problems, or identify why a product has failed. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India