Fiberglass reinforcement has increased tensile strength (in this indicator it is three to five times higher than steel analogues), it is resistant to fresh and sea water, it is not subject to corrosion, it does not conduct electricity, it has high elastic properties, low thermal conductivity (and therefore, allows you to reduce the level of heat loss of the entire building and increase its energy efficiency), is not affected by electromagnetic fields. The polymer composite is characterized by complete chemical inertness (this means that it is not afraid of the effects of aggressive media, including concrete).
The guaranteed service life of fiberglass reinforcement is one hundred years. This material has a small weight (6-9 times less than steel reinforcement), which saves time for its installation and can be dispensed with without special equipment for transportation and installation of reinforcement (for example, when laying reinforcement for the foundation). Finally, fiberglass reinforcement costs significantly less than metal reinforcement (about 30% savings), while not losing to it in terms of strength due to the increased reliability and corrosion resistance of composite reinforcement.
Fiberglass reinforcement, in fact, has the widest application. It is used in road and industrial-civil construction, in buildings for various purposes (including concrete structures, but with a certain reservation), as fasteners for attaching heat insulation, for laminated masonry of brick buildings, as reinforced nets and rods, as the supporting and facing layer during the construction of multilayer stone and brick walls, for the construction of various types of wastewater, land reclamation and sewage, etc.
Is it possible to make money on the production of fiberglass reinforcement? On the one hand, the production of building materials is one of the most promising sectors of the economy, so this idea undoubtedly deserves attention. There is also a certain interest on the part of buyers in composite reinforcement. It is mainly associated with a lower price for this building material, which is 30% cheaper than steel reinforcement. For comparison: one ton of steel reinforcement with a cross section of 12 mm and a total length of 1125 meters will cost almost 30 thousand rubles. Fiberglass reinforcement of the same length with a cross section of 8 mm (which corresponds to the strength of steel reinforcement with a cross section of 12 mm) will cost 10 thousand rubles cheaper. Fiberglass reinforcement is also more profitable in production. For its manufacture, there is no need to purchase and install an expensive and difficult to operate production line. Equipment for the production of composite reinforcement is much cheaper and takes up less space. In addition, two to three people are enough to serve her.
Finally, the light weight of the material can significantly save on its transportation. If for transportation of two tons of metal fittings you can not do without a truck with a large body, the fiberglass fittings corresponding to these characteristics will weigh about 150 kg and can fit in the trunk of a passenger car in a twisted form.
Manufacturers of equipment for the production of composite fittings argue that when erecting structures from it, welding is not required, since such building materials are attached to each other with ordinary plastic clamps. However, they are silent about the fact that when using fiberglass in concrete structures, such reinforcement can only be used in a prestressed (stretched) state. And this can only be achieved using special equipment and with strict adherence to technologies at the construction site (that is, skilled construction workers cannot be dispensed with). The main benefit of fiberglass reinforcement is obvious when it is used for flexible connections of brick walls and cladding. Here it really surpasses steel.
From all this we can conclude that the production of fiberglass reinforcement is a good idea for your own business, but you should not count on large sales volumes and, consequently, profits from the very first days of work. Such a production will be as cost-effective as possible only if you also produce traditional steel types of reinforcement. But in the absence of sufficient start-up capital, you can start with the manufacture of fiberglass reinforcement, and then gradually expand your range.
Fiberglass reinforcement is acquired by individual developers and large construction companies. The first option is preferable if you produce fittings in small quantities. So you can work for your region, and further expand your distribution channels, selling products to hardware stores and small companies. For serious production volumes, immediately focus on cooperation with large construction companies. When concluding long-term contracts with your partners, you can significantly increase your production.
The production process of fiberglass reinforcement consists of several main stages. First, fiberglass in the form of continuous filaments is impregnated in a special container with a polymer resin having a curing composition, as a result of which a so-called roving is obtained. Then, when the fiberglass is completely impregnated, the roving is fed into the forming die to obtain a rod of a given diameter. Without waiting for the core to solidify, the starting material is drawn through a polymerization chamber heated to a certain temperature. Finally, the profile is wound and secured to create a ribbed surface. The rod with the wire wound around it enters the drying chamber, where the resin is partially polymerized. After that, in the next section of the drying chamber, the unwinding device removes the relief-forming wire from the fiberglass core. The finished rod is carefully stretched out, cut into certain segments with a special saw and folded on a rack for finished fittings.
For the production of composite reinforcement, special equipment is required. It is quite versatile and allows the manufacture of reinforcement with a diameter of 4 to 24 mm with any type of reinforcing fibers: fiberglass, basalt fiber and carbon fiber. The productivity of one line is an average of 300 thousand meters of reinforcement per year. Modern lines are fully automated and equipped with a computer that controls the entire production process and sets the parameters for control.
Two main components are used in production: the reinforcing material itself (roving) and the binder component (epoxy resin). The ratio of these components is approximately 80 to 20. In the finished reinforcement, the roving takes on mechanical loads, and the resin acts as a matrix, evenly distributing the loads along the entire length of the bar and protecting the reinforcement from the influence of the external environment.
The operating voltage of the production line is 380 V / 50 Hz. Electricity consumption reaches 4.0 kW, air consumption - 120 m / min. The length of the line is on average 15-18 meters, and the width is 0.5-0.6 meters. Productivity can be 10.5 m / min or 14500 meters per shift. Lines, depending on the model, can produce from 1 to 3 bars of reinforcement simultaneously with a diameter of 16 to 26 millimeters. One line includes: creel for internal winding of threads, a device for heating threads, an impregnation bath, a wrapper, a device for applying sand, a polymerization furnace, a section for cooling valves, a broaching device, an automatic cutting mechanism, a control cabinet, and a set of dies.
The production room has special requirements. Its length should be at least 22 meters (recommended length is 30 meters), ceiling height - from 2.5 meters (recommended height - from 3 meters), elevation difference at the equipment placement site - not more than 4-5 cm, ventilation with outflow of air of at least 200-250 liters per minute. The air temperature in the premises should not be lower than 16-18 ° C (that is, you can not do without heating).
The cost of the simplest set of equipment with a capacity of one armature bar is from 1 million rubles. In addition, you will need additional working tools and equipment - another 300 thousand rubles. The first batch of raw materials will cost 500 thousand rubles. The costs of delivery, installation of the line, preparation of the production premises amount to about 300 thousand rubles. Other expenses - from 300 thousand rubles. Total for the organization of its own production of composite reinforcement will require at least 2, 400, 000 rubles. Note that this is the minimum amount. Equipment with greater productivity will cost 450-500 thousand rubles more.
To achieve self-sufficiency, the minimum volume of production and sale of products should be from 130 thousand linear meters (in the amount of 800 thousand rubles). These are quite large volumes, but, as experience shows, it’s quite possible to establish their sales under several conditions:
- If you work for the regional market, it should be quite large (this indicator does not depend on the area, but on the number of large cities - ideally, the presence of at least one millionaire city);
- The quality of your products should be consistently high;
- Try to develop a network of contacts from the very beginning (first of all, representatives of large construction companies, even if at first you can only work with individual developers and retail stores);
- Think in advance of options for developing your business after six months or a year of work (this may be expanding the range or entering the all-Russian market);
- Do not spare money for advertising. With a competent approach, these costs will quickly pay off.
(c) www.clogicsecure.com - a portal to business plans and guidelines for starting a small business 08/18/2019