General Uses for Corrosion Free Composite Inserts

For use with Honeycomb Sandwich Panel

Molded from high strength thermoplastic "Torlon®"

              

Honeycomb sandwich panels are widely used from aerospace to recreation.  They are found in transportation vehicles on land, from cars and trucks to high-speed trains. By sea, they can be found from fast ferries to giant ships.  Widely used in partitions, ceilings, and floors, honeycomb panels replace sheets of plywood and metal in nearly every application of nearly every industry. Anywhere these panels are used, you will find honeycomb panel inserts that fasten the panels together or to a structure of some kind. Lighter weight, completely non-corrosive, and less expensive than the old style metal inserts, AEP offers the world's largest selection of corrosion free composite inserts, with a product line that is unmatched in the industry.

Honeycomb sandwich panels revolutionized the aerospace industry over 40 years ago, making aircraft lighter, stronger and faster and allowing them to carry more weight and improve fuel efficiency. Today, honeycomb panels are used from aerospace to recreation, in transportation vehicles on land and sea, in architecture and many other applications and areas as well. Principle among honeycomb sandwich panels' many advantages are their very high strength-to-weight ratio and their resistance to corrosion and fatigue.

Engineers worldwide have integrated the use of these panels into a myriad of applications, with very few difficulties. In fact, the most common problem has been deciding how to attach the panels to each other or to a structural frame of some sort. With the advent and improvement of adhesives and epoxies, many have simply glued the panels together. Others have chosen to use metal fasteners, which are typically glued into place. This can provide threads right in the panel or act as a grommet through which a bolt can be fastened.

Until now, these have been the only methods available for attaching panels and both of these methods have serious drawbacks. Gluing panels together can work, but it is difficult and time consuming, as special fixtures and tools must be made in order to hold everything in place while the glue sets. Inserts glued into the panels have been the preferred method, but they present a different set of problems. As the inserts are metal, they are susceptible to corrosion from both environmental elements and galvanic reactions. As these panels are often used in very harsh environments, corrosion can be a very hazardous and costly concern.

Advanced Engineered Products has changed all that by offering the preferred method of panel attachment combined with the superior benefits of composites–Composite Inserts for Honeycomb Sandwich Panels. That's right, the very same benefits that were originally sought after when honeycomb panels replaced sheets of plywood and metal; lighter weight, completely non-corrosive, and less expensive than "old style" metal inserts. AEP offers the world's largest selection of composite inserts, with a product line that is unmatched in the industry.

Typical Sandwich Panel Applications

AEP is proud to offer our line of non-metallic fasteners for use in honeycomb sandwich panels.  Made of a super high strength polymer called Torlon, our inserts are both durable and lightweight.  In most cases you will realize a 50% weight reduction.  Our Torlon inserts are also impervious to harsh chemicals and completely eliminate corrosion.