WEAV3D Launches FLEXSPEC™ Structural Thermoforming Panels
FLEXSPEC™ combines WEAV3D’s patented composite lattice with commercially available heavy-gauge plastic sheet, creating a structural solution that can easily replace sheet metal at a fraction of the weight.
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“WEAV3D’s Rebar for Plastics® design methodology is all about tailoring performance to meet specific application needs. By varying the lattice spacing and material type, in combination with different base sheet thicknesses and materials, we can enable an infinite variety of material properties. FLEXSPEC™ allows us to offer the performance and cost benefits of this approach, in the form of a standardized portfolio of thermoplastic sheets that can be processed in conventional thermoforming equipment and tooling,” Christopher Oberste, President and Chief Engineer of WEAV3D Inc.
FLEXSPEC™ can be ordered in full sheet dimensions of 4’ x 8’ or half sheet dimensions of 4’ by 4’ and will initially launch in PP, PA6, and HDPE variants, with more options anticipated in coming months. WEAV3D has developed catalog of products capable of replacing steel as thick as 14 gauge (1.9 mm) and aluminum as thick as 8 gauge (3.26 mm). Customers can reference the bending stiffness equivalence table on our website or contact our materials specialist to find the right product for their requirements.
Benefits of using FLEXSPEC™:
- Ideal for replacing sheet metal with low-density thermoplastics
- Provides equivalent stiffness and enhanced load capacity while significantly reducing weight
- Thermoformable into moderately complex shapes
- Can be trimmed and drilled via machining or water jet
- Allows significant downgauging of thermoplastic sheets
For more information on FLEXSPEC™ thermoformable panels, visit https://weav3d.com/flexspec/
