Composite Materials

What is a Composite Material?

A composite material combines two materials with different physical and chemical properties. When combined, they create a specialized material to do a certain job, for instance, to become stronger, lighter, or resistant to electricity. They can also improve strength and stiffness. Conwed™ Industrial Nets can help you save material and improve product performance.

How to use Conwed™ Nets in Product Processes

Different methods exist to incorporate Conwed™ Industrial Nets with other substrates, netting, and nonwovens. Our netting can be used with film, foam, bubble wrap, paper, nonwoven and other fabrics. Conwed™ Netting can be used in various manufacturing processes:

• Extrusion Coatings & Laminations – A polymer film can be extruded directly onto the substrate to provide a bonding layer (extrusion lamination) or an impervious coating (extrusion coating). Conwed™ Plastic Netting can be trapped between the substrate and extruded film layers to significantly increase the final product’s tensile strength.
• Lamination – A laminate is a material that can be constructed by uniting two or more layers of material. The various layers that make the laminate can be similar or different materials: plastic netting, plastic films, nonwoven, paper, etc.
• Adhesive Lamination – Unless one of the fabrics develops adhesive properties in certain conditions, an additional medium is necessary to secure the bonding between the layers. Two adhesive lamination techniques are illustrated below.
• Nonwoven Processes – Nonwovens consist of millions of individual fibers. In the first manufacturing step, the nonwoven is produced via drylaid, wetlaid, spunbond, or meltblown processes. Conwed™ Plastic Netting can be incorporated in this first step called “web formation.”
• Web Formations – It is the stage where individual fibers or molten polymers are laid to form a nonwoven web that will eventually be bonded for additional integrity, strength, and stability.
• Bonding – After the web formation step, the fibers and the plastic netting are bonded together to form the final nonwoven composite. Conwed can customize the plastic netting design and configuration to meet the properties and performance required in the final nonwoven product. There are different processes available to bond various types of nonwovens.