Fiberglass and Composite Material Design Guide
The purpose of this design guide is to provide some general information on fiberglass and composite materials and to explain how to design products with these materials. If you have specific questions, please contact our engineers at Performance Composites and they will gladly assist you.
| Fiberglass & polyester | Graphite & epoxy | Wood (Douglas fir) | Aluminum Sheets 6061 T-6 | Steel sheets | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material Cost $/lb | $2.00-3.00 | $9.00-20.00+ | $0.80 | $4.50-10.00 | $.50-1.00 |
| Strength, yield (psi) | 30,000 | 60,000 | 2,400 | 35,000 | 60,000 |
| Stiffness (psi) | 1.2 x 10 6 | 8 x 10 6 | 1.8 x 10 6 | 10 x 10 6 | 30 x 10 6 |
| Density (lb/in3) | .055 | .065 | .02 | .10 | .30 |
| Fiberglass & polyester | |
| Material Cost $/lb | $2.00-3.00 |
| Strength, yield (psi) | 30,000 |
| Stiffness (psi) | 1.2 x 10 6 |
| Density (lb/in3) | .055 |
| Fiberglass & polyester | |
| Material Cost $/lb | $2.00-3.00 |
| Strength, yield (psi) | 30,000 |
| Stiffness (psi) | 1.2 x 10 6 |
| Density (lb/in3) | .055 |
| Wood (Douglas fir) | |
| Material Cost $/lb | $0.80 |
| Strength, yield (psi) | 2,400 |
| Stiffness (psi) | 1.8 x 10 6 |
| Density (lb/in3) | .02 |
| Aluminum Sheets 6061 T-6 | |
| Material Cost $/lb | $4.50-10.00 |
| Strength, yield (psi) | 35,000 |
| Stiffness (psi) | 10 x 10 6 |
| Density (lb/in3) | .10 |
| Steel sheets | |
| Material Cost $/lb | $.50-1.00 |
| Strength, yield (psi) | 60,000 |
| Stiffness (psi) | 30 x 10 6 |
| Density (lb/in3) | .30 |