With rising fuel prices, lightweight structures and materials (like composites) are receiving
more attention. Composite materials offer high stiffness to weight and strength to weight
ratios when compared with traditional metallic materials. Traditionally, composite materials
were generally costly which made them only attractive to very limited industries (eg, the
defense industry). Advances in their manufacturing and new innovations have brought the
cost of these materials down and made them reasonably competitive. They have gained …

With rising fuel prices, light weight structures and materials (like composites) are receiving
more attention. Composite materials offer high stiffness to weight ratio when compared with
traditional metallic materials. Traditionally, composite materials were generally costly which
made them only attractive to very limited industries (eg, the defense industry). Advances in
their manufacturing and new innovations have brought the cost of these materials down and
made them reasonably competitive. They have gained more and more usage in the last 3 …