JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007 - 43

Plate production Home sweet home. specifies strict standards that are controlled regularly. Tests are carried out at all critical manufacturing stages using specific protocols. At the mounting and cutting stage, the cutting accuracy is adjusted for the specific type of gluing and is tested after every hardening process. The final control is made by experienced technicians and by an independent authority. Resin systems An innovative building method House or boat? Application The GranitHarz® granite resin developed for the Aqua House concept is actually based on a resin system that was invented way back in 1907. Today, the base material can be found in many parts of everyday life. The resin’s carefully engineered properties ensure the highest usability. The development team took research further and connected the positive features of the material with the demands on a modern sandwich plate. Epoxy resin was developed in the 1930’s and began to be widely used in the aircraft and shipbuilding industries from the 1950’s onwards. Nowadays, this material is used in applications such as high-grade racing boats, gliders and wind sails. Epoxy resin offers mechanical properties unmatched by any other material. It resists osmosis and therefore is used to repair blister damages in sport boats. It is also highly resistant to acids and bases. To fulfil the high quality standards of the Aqua House concept, new methods had to be explored. No European plate producer was able to meet the prescribed price and quality standards. This is why the company built its own manufacturing plant. Its vacuum laminating table (25 metres long and 2.5 metres wide) is the largest in Europe. The vacuum technique developed for this product allows the production of epoxy resin plates which meet the highest standards in the aircraft industry. A second manufacturing plant for the production of granite resin plates has just been built. Over two years of testing and research were necessary to reach the required plate quality. Easy to move. Just like in conventional house construction, the basic requirement for building stability is detailed at the project planning stage. Unique to the Aqua House concept is the use of fibre-reinforced plastic plates for all parts of the house. These plates, developed and produced by the company, allow for a building method that is the first of its kind. So far, fibrereinforced plastics have only been used in high-tech sectors like the aircraft industry and the construction of mega-yachts. New materials call for new ways of thinking, an approach that EWP consulting engineers made their own. Their specific know-how in the field of structural analysis and the innovative combination of materials like jute, glass fibre, resin and Styrofoam resulted in completely new constructional approaches which could not be achieved in conventional house building. Tailor-made CAD programmes made new solutions and approaches possible. More information: www.aquahouse.net No33 June 2007 / JEC Composites Magazine

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #33 - June 2007