Definitions /Dictionary/Glossary - nptel

Fiber Glass: Primarily means glass in fiber form. It is also used to describe composite
processing and applications, for example, fiber glass molding plant, fiber glass car.
Fiber Glass Reinforcement: Major material used to reinforce plastic. Available in mat, roving,
fabric and other forms, it is incorporated into both thermosets and thermoplastics.
Fiber Orientation: Fiber alignment in a non-woven or a mat laminate where the majority of
fibers are in the same direction, resulting in greater strength in that direction.
Fiber Pattern: Visible fibers on the surface laminate or molding. The thread size and weave of
glass cloth.
Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP): A general term for a composite that is reinforced with cloth,
mat, strands, or any other fiber form.
Filament: A single, threadlike fiber of glass.
Filament Winding: Process in which a resin-saturated strand of glass filament is wound around
a rotating mandrel.
Filament Yarn: A yarn composed of continuous filaments assembled with or without twist.
Fill: The system of yarns running crosswise in a fabric (short for filling). It is also known as
weft. see Warp
Filler: An inexpensive substance that is added to plastic resins to extend volume, improve
properties, and lower cost.
Fillet: A rounded filing of the internal angle between two surfaces of a plastic molding.
Fines: Bundles that have been split apart into smaller bundles composed of only a few or single
filaments. Fuzz is usually made of fines.
Finish: see Size
Fire Retardants: These are the chemicals that reduce a resin’s tendency to burn.
Fish Eye: It is the effect of surface contamination causing a circular separation of paint or gel
coat.
Flammability: How fast a plastic material will burn when subjected to a particular ASTM test.
In this test, a flame is applied to one end of a strip of material. When the material starts burning
the flame is removed and the time to consume a given amount of material is measured. Units are
measured in inches per minute (in/min.). Higher numbers indicate that the material will burn
faster under this particular test’s conditions. S.E. means self extinguishing; S.E. classified
materials stop burning when the flame is taken away.