Composite repairs and strengthening
Mechatronix has perfected the use and installation of carbon fibre composites to reinforce metal structures and components. Our reinforcements provide fatigue life extensions and yield strength increases on all grades of steel, from mild and cast steels to high tensile structural steels and the hardest available wear plates. The bond between the steel and composites is so strong that it only fails when the yield stress of the steel is exceeded and the steel itself plastically deforms underneath the composites.
Our composite reinforcements typically include in-built sensors to detect surface cracking of the metal beneath the composites reinforcements – our solutions not only enhance fatigue life and strength but also provide structural integrity monitoring.
We have successfully applied our repair and strengthening technology to a range of large machines and structures, some examples follow:
Research & Development
Mechatronix is actively pursuing Research and Development goals focussed on the integration of metals and composites to lightweight machines, structures and components. Our R&D facilities include a high-capacity servo-hydraulic test machine to perform a wide range of static and fatigue tests on specimens and panels, including impact testing. A humidity controlled thermal chamber allows the effects of temperature and humidity during construction to be understood and a high capacity cutting machine enables the accurate cutting and kitting of composite materials and consumables.
Whilst our R&D efforts and facilities are focussed on our internal projects, collaborations with external clients are actively encouraged.
Composites Rich Products & Designs
Carbon fibre composites offer very high strength in the plane of the fibres and are one-fifth of the weight of steel. Structural and high tensile steels offer the advantage of isotropic properties (independent of direction) and the benefits of cast or welded construction but with the disadvantage of being heavy in comparison to composites. Combining both steels and composites into new designs offers substantial weight reductions and the benefits of payload, productivity and performance increases. In weight critical applications the economic benefits can far outweigh the increased material and construction costs.
Mechatronix are experts in the optimisation of all-steel machines, structures and components, the bonding of composites to steel, and the design of composite structures. We are actively working on a number of new weight-critical designs and provide the opportunity for external clients to pursue other products and initiative that can leverage our expertise .
Engineering Design and Analysis
Mechatronix has decades of experience in the engineering of new machine designs and the investigation, diagnosis and solution of problems on existing machines and structures.
Our key areas of competency and experience include
- Stress analysis and design;
- Fatigue analysis and remedial design;
- Strain gauging and load determination.
- Finite Element and Discrete Particle modeling;
- Composite materials:
Selected Case Histories below highlight the a selection our experience and capabilities:
