ACE Awards - Infinite Possibility

Infinite Possibility
Sponsored by AOC and Composites One

This award is presented to the entry that demonstrates the potential to significantly increase the use of composites in existing or developing markets or generate the greatest impact to open new markets for composites manufacturers and material suppliers or provide the ability for broad manufacturing opportunities for manufacturers.

Entry: TRANSONITE Composites Sandwich Panel

Submitted by: Martin Marietta Composites, Inc.; Raleigh, North Carolina

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
TRANSONITE® is a pultruded, 3-D reinforced composite “sandwich” consisting of fiber-reinforced polymer laminates and a foam core. The top and bottom face skins are supported by and tied together with full through-thickness fibers giving TRANSONITE® its unique structure. Delamination, a common problem in conventional sandwich materials, is virtually eliminated with the 3-D reinforcements that tie the face sheets together. The panel is a light weight, high strength, extremely durable composite sandwich panel. The product freatures are high strength with low weight broad design flexibility, corrosion resistance, toughness and durability. Martin Marietta Composites manufactures custom-designed TRANSONITE® panels for various applications. The fiber insertions are programmable and robotically coordinated, allowing for variable densities and patterns. Panels can also be manufactured to specific dimensions and very large in surface area, potentially reducing overall installation costs. Applications include truck trailers and truck bodies, cooling towers, temporary roadways, military taxiways, RV floors, surf board ribs, leisure marine bulkheads, railcar floors and blast panels.