Glass fabric 55 g/m² (Finish FE 800, plain weave), width 97.5 cm

International Style 1280 (formerly Interglas 05215) with FE 800 finish is a fine E-glass fabric in plain weave. With an areal weight of 55 g/m², it is suitable for lightweight surface reinforcement and facing plies as well as thin GFRP laminates where low material build-up is to be combined with uniform glass-fibre reinforcement.

Benefits of the Fabric

International Style 1280 has an almost symmetrical fabric construction, with 23.7 ends/cm in the warp direction and 23.3 picks/cm in the weft direction. Combined with identical EC 5-11 yarn in both directions, this provides an almost uniform fibre distribution in warp and weft.

The areal weight of 55 g/m² allows thin and lightweight glass-fibre plies. The fabric is therefore particularly suitable for surface reinforcement and facing plies where weight and laminate thickness need to remain low while providing a higher fibre contribution per ply than very lightweight glass fabrics.

The high number of yarn interlacings in the plain weave provides good resistance to yarn displacement, helping to minimise distortion during cutting and positioning. In addition, the fabric edges are cut and bonded (CC edge), which stabilises the edge areas during handling and processing.

Applications

The 55 g/m² glass fabric is suitable for lightweight surface reinforcement, covering and facing plies as well as thin GFRP laminates. Its almost symmetrical construction makes it particularly suitable where an approximately uniform fibre distribution in the warp and weft directions is required.

Typical applications:

• Reinforcement and covering of wood and veneer surfaces
• Model aircraft wing coverings
• Facing plies for honeycomb and sandwich components
• Thin surface and facing plies in GFRP laminates
• Lightweight model-making and composite components
• Printed circuit boards and technical laminates

Suitable Resin Systems

The glass fabric can be processed with suitable epoxy, polyester and vinyl ester resin systems. Low-viscosity laminating resins are advantageous for thin surface reinforcement and laminate build-ups because they facilitate uniform wet-out of the fine fabric.

Epoxy resin systems are commonly used for wood and veneer reinforcement as well as more demanding lightweight composite applications, particularly where good adhesion to the substrate and high mechanical properties are required.

Calculated Data for Hand Lay-Up Laminates with 35 Vol.-% Fibre Content

Benefits of the 97.5 cm Width

The 97.5 cm width provides convenient handling for small to medium-sized components, wings, model components and wood or veneer surfaces. At this width, the fine fabric can be laid out, positioned and cut efficiently.

Components within the available fabric width can be covered without an additional longitudinal joint. For larger surfaces, several fabric sections can be cut and arranged according to the component geometry.

Technical Notes

Almost Symmetrical Fabric Construction
With 23.7 ends/cm in the warp direction and 23.3 picks/cm in the weft direction, combined with identical yarn in both directions, the fabric has an almost symmetrical construction. This distinguishes Style 1280 from fabrics with significantly different warp and weft thread counts.

CC Edge
The fabric edges are cut and bonded. This CC edge construction stabilises the edge areas and helps reduce fraying or separation of the fabric edge during handling and processing.

Resin Application
Apply the resin uniformly and in an amount appropriate for the fabric. Excess resin increases laminate weight and thickness without increasing the fibre content or the fibre-related reinforcing contribution.

Wood and Veneer Reinforcement
The low areal weight allows a thin glass-fibre reinforcement with little additional mass. The substrate should be clean, dry and compatible with the selected resin system.

Sandwich Structures
The fabric can be used for facing plies in honeycomb and sandwich structures. The required facing lay-up depends on the core material, component geometry and mechanical loading and cannot be determined from the fabric areal weight alone.

Plain Weave
The high number of yarn interlacings gives the plain weave good resistance to yarn displacement and facilitates distortion-free cutting and handling. For strongly three-dimensional component geometries, twill or satin weave fabrics generally provide better drapability.