As William Arthur Ward rightly said “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
The students and staff of MAHSS had an opportunity to interact with Prof. S. C. Lakkad, faculty member in Aerospace Engineering specializing in Structures, who held an informative online session on “Composite Materials and its Applications”
Composite materials are a class of natural or manmade heterogeneous materials, whose properties vary spatially. They range from microscopic alloys to large-scale structures like reinforced cement concrete and Fibre Reinforced Composites or FRCs being the most common.
The students learnt about tows—bundles of fibrils approximately 10 microns in diameter—that can be coated or treated to meet specific fabrication requirements in the design of the final product. A composite material consists of two main components: fibres and a matrix. The matrix—typically made of polymers, metals, or ceramics—binds the reinforcing fibres together. Composites offer excellent mechanical properties, strong resistance to corrosion, and are easily processed into complex shapes—all at a relatively low cost.
However, composites also have certain disadvantages, such as low compressive strength and reduced strength in specific directions. Prof. Lakkad explained the structural design considerations and the precise manufacturing processes involved in composite materials. These include matrix shaping and reinforcement techniques, as well as fabrication methods such as the hand lay-up process, filament winding and pultrusion. This is then followed by moulding processes.
Composites find applications in a variety of fields such as in aerospace, construction, transportation, marine and industrial design.
Prof Lakkad explained about –
1)the ventral dive brake, which was originally constructed using aluminium-steel composite panels, but was later redesigned with carbon-based polymer composites.
2)A cooling fan was also developed to replace the aluminium blades traditionally used in diesel locomotives.
3)The Floor Reaction Orthosis, made using CFRPs, was introduced to stabilise the knee joint in patients affected by polio.
4)In the railway sector, toilets are now being fabricated using CFRPs and GFRPs for enhanced
durability and corrosion resistance.
5)Kharland gates, made using FRPs thereby replacing steel, are employed both to reclaim land from tidal areas and to prevent the ingress of seawater.
6)The Skybus Aerial Transport system was proposed to be fabricated using stainless steel and GFRPs.
The students understood that composite materials provide the strength and resilience needed to power a greener future.
The institute expressed their heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to Prof. Lakkad for sharing his invaluable wisdom and time and thanked Mr. Vyankatesh Prabhudesai Sir, for organising the enriching session for the benefit of all the students.
By
Joshua Dsa