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Top 5 Advantages of Sandwich Panels

Sandwich panels—also referred to as sandwich structure composites or sandwich structures—are structural materials that consist of a stiff core between two facesheets (i.e., skins). The core separates and supports the two outer layers, resulting in a composite with high flexural stiffness but low material weight. These qualities, in addition to the material’s superior structural stability, durability, and cost-effectiveness, make sandwich panels suitable for use in a variety of engineering applications. 

Don’t know if sandwich panels are right for your application. Find out more about the advantages of the materials below. 

Advantages of Sandwich Panels

Compared to other structural materials, sandwich panels offer a variety of advantages, including:

1. Fire Resistance

Sandwich panels exhibit exceptional performance when exposed to flames. Some variations offer fire resistance to temperatures up to and exceed 1000° C. 

By using sandwich materials in the construction of a building, building designers and engineers can better ensure the safety of employees and equipment. However, they must consider the size and height of the building and the degree of fire resistance required. 

2. Thermal Insulation

Sandwich panels demonstrate good thermal insulation properties. However, the thermal insulation vs. thermal conductivity of the material varies depending on the type and thickness of the materials used. 

Using sandwich panels in the construction of a building helps reduce the amount of energy needed for heating/cooling operations, which translates to lower overall energy costs. Additionally, properly integrated, they decrease the risk of mold formation and excess humidity that stems from thermal movement and condensation. The thickness of the insulation material used in the sandwich system depends on the thermal and load-bearing capacity requirements, environmental conditions, and building purpose. 

3. Sound Insulation

In applications that generate high levels of noise, sound insulating materials are essential. They help isolate the source of noise from other areas within a facility, which helps keep those areas quiet and comfortable for workers and passersby.   

4. High Strength-to-Weight Ratio

Compared to solid laminates, sandwich panels have better strength-to-weight ratios. As a result, they can support comparable loads with less structural material, which can lead to lower material purchasing and transportation costs. 

5. Cost-Effectiveness

Sandwich structures are a cost-effective option because their core materials are less expensive than other composite reinforcement materials and easy to co-cure to the skins in one-shot processes (e.g., resin infusion). Additionally, their inherent durability lowers their maintenance costs. 

Sandwich Panels at Tex Tech

At Tex Tech, we are the global leader in the research, development, and manufacturing of high-performance materials. Our team is continually looking for ways to improve and expand on our material capabilities to provide customers with new and innovative solutions for their engineering fabric challenges. That’s why we’re proud to announce we recently acquired the technology to product ZPlex, a conformable total sandwich system. 

ZPlex is a reinforcement material consisting of closed-cell foam cores contained within three-dimensional woven material. It features resin flow paths formed by weaving the slender foam cores into the material and integrating them with the skins using Z-fibers. This design helps speed the infusion process due to the integration of resin channels and reduce print-through due to the use of foam. 

Some of the key benefits of ZPlex include: 

• It is highly conformable in its initial state. 
• It is not easy to crush once cured. 
• It does not compact under vacuum. 
• It does not absorb moisture. 
• It is not susceptible to delamination. 
• It is suitable for use in hand lay-up applications. 

We offer ZPlex in 1/4 and 3/8 inch PE core thickness with 54 oz/yd² structural skins. It can be cut to size using scissors or other mechanical means. 

To learn more about this sandwich system, download the ZPlex: Conformable Total Sandwich System Data Sheet.