Back complaints resulting from heavy lifting could soon be a thing of the past as the Dutch company Triple-E Lichtgewicht Meubilair B.V. in Winsum is now offering lightweight stage sections under the name “Flax-Deck” with external dimensions of 0.75 by 1.50 meters and a weight of only 16.5 kilograms. The low weight of the stackable and compact sections is due to a sandwich structure based on the Baypreg® polyurethane spray system from Bayer MaterialScience.

Generally lightweight and extremely stiff

Composite sandwich materials are generally lightweight and extremely stiff. The highly versatile stage sections consist of a light rigid foam core reinforced top and bottom with flax mats to absorb tensile forces, thereby increasing the strength of the composite. The sandwich structure can withstand a concentrated load of up to 150 kilograms. Its surface is protected by a highly abrasion-resistant and robust plastic layer.

Excellent adhesion

During production, the fiber mats made out of natural flax are first impregnated on both sides with the dual-component polyurethane system using a spray process. The mats and the expanded polystyrene (EPS) core are then put together to form a sandwich and inserted into a preheated mold. This highly economical, one-step production process creates a permanently stable, extremely robust and rigid structure capable of withstanding high mechanical loads. This is due in no small measure to the polyurethane system’s excellent adhesion to various materials.