Information Reqested Regarding Fiber Glass Boat Manufacturing

Dear All,
I am a student pursuing Masters in Environmental Engineering at the University of New Orleans.
As a part of one of my projects, I need the following information as soon as possible:

* Primary Processes employed in fiber glass boat manufacture
* Materials Used in these processes
* Properties of the materials used in the manufacturing processes
* Air emissions arising from these processes
* Air pollution emission factors

Please tell me the above information or some website where I can find all this information at your earliest.


Regards,
Siva.

 

I would recommend spending some time searching on Google for 'fiberglass boatbuilding emissions' and 'fiberglass boatbuilding polution'.

Here are some links to get you started:

Business Assistance - Fiberglass Fabrication Industry Resources
http://www.pprc.org/pprc/sbap/fiber.html
The Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center is a non-profit organization that is the Northwest's leading source of high quality, unbiased pollution prevention information. The information is organized by industry sector. This page is for the Fiberglass Manufacturing Industry sector, and contains materials related to environmental regulations and pollution prevention opportunities, such as environmental compliance and pollution prevention fact sheets, technical and regulatory information links, and information about ongoing research projects.

Fiberglass Fabrication
http://www.pprc.org/hubs/toc.cfm?hub=10&subsec=7&nav=7
Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center

Guides to Pollution Prevention - The Fiberglass-Reinforced and Composite Plastics Industry
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/02/01058.pdf
US Environmental Protection Agency
This EPA manual contains is less detailed technically than others on this sector. The industry overview discusses applications outside of boatbuilding.

Waste Reduction Strategies for Fiberglass Fabricators
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/00368.pdf
Hillis, David R.; Davis, A. Darryl
This excellent manual approaches waste reduction in fiberglass operations from the perspective of the whole facility including the effect of process control and plant layout on emissions. Written at a level of technical detail that is easily understandable and sufficiently detailed.

Establishing Waste Reduction Benchmarks and Good Manufacturing Practice for Open Mold Laminating
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/00372.pdf
Hillis, David R.
Report illustrates how to use planned experimentation to establish benchmarks and Good Manufacturing Practice in a fiberglass lamination facility. The variables studied were the styrene-content of the resin, the spraying method, and operator technique.

Solvent Substitution to Reduce Air Emissions for the FRP Industry
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/00904.pdf
Hoffman, Douglas J.
This report is an evaluation of alternatives to acetone for cleaning tools & equipment during fiberglass manufacturing. While this report is based on one boat builder's experience, the methods are broadly applicable. Alternatives evaluated include dibasic esters (DBE), N-methyl pyrolidone, and propylene carbonate. The best cleaner depends on the application but payback for many of the alternative cleaners is under 3 years.

Reducing Volatile Emissions in the Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) Industry
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/02/01991.htm
Minnesota Technical Assistance Program
This fact sheet describes some of the options available to reduce acetone and styrene emissions from FRP operations. Includes a list of suppliers with additional information.

Section Title: Hatteras Yachts, Inc.
Case Studies - A compilation of successful waste reduction projects implemented by NC businesses
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/0056551.pdf
NC Office of Waste Reduction
This boat builder reduced its paint and clean-up solvent waste by installing a plural component paint spraying system.

Section Title: Fountain Powerboats Incorporated - On-Site Recovery and Reuse
Case Summaries of Waste Reduction by Industries in the Southeast
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/0034350.pdf
Waste Reduction Resource Center
This fiberglass fabricator installed a batch still to recover acetone.

Section Title: Fountain Powerboats Incorporated - Process Modification: Equipment Change
Case Summaries of Waste Reduction by Industries in the Southeast
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/0034351.pdf
Waste Reduction Resource Center
This fiberglass fabricator switched from spray guns to vacuum bags to deliver resin to the mold.

Section Title: Grady White Boats
Case Summaries of Waste Reduction by Industries in the Southeast
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/0034352.pdf
Waste Reduction Resource Center
This fiberglass fabricator switched to air assisted airless spray guns for applying the gel coating.

Fiberglass Manufacturer Substitutes Acetone With a Water- Based Emulsifier
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/03/02100.pdf
NC Office of Waste Reduction
This case study discusses how a manufacturer of fiberglass plumbing fixtures and other items (Eljer Industries) substituted acetone with a water-based resin emulsifier to clean equipment and hand tools used in production. Only a small quantity of acetone was used for final cleaning and drying, reducing acetone use by 50% and hazardous wastes by 70%

Section Title: Chem-Pruf Door Company - Fiberglass Plastics
Pollution Prevention Ideas from Texas Industries
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/02/01494.pdf
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
Waste fiberglass dust from floors and vacuum systems is reused by this building products manufacturer. Solid waste disposal has decreased by 74%.

 

regarding methods

Thanx a lot Scott,

I would also greatly appreciate if you could tell me some site for looking up the basic processes in the manufacturing of fiberglass boats (and not fiberglass itself) and the associated pollution emissions, etc.


Regards,
Siva

 

Take a look at Marine Composites by Eric Greene - it is available online at http://www.marinecomposites.com/

There are numerous other books which also provide an overview - see http://www.boatdesign.net/Directory/Technical_Resources/Books_-_Boatbuilding/Composites/

Also the fiberglass supply sites are a good reference - see the literature from System Three at http://www.systemthree.com/

http://www.westsystem.com/ also has some good reference material, but it is mostly geared to cold molded / one-off construction rather than traditional production.

Here's a good guide to the traditional plug-mold-hull process: http://johnrsweet.com/Mold.html

And here's a quick overview on vacuum bagging - http://composite.about.com/library/weekly/aa000109.htm

 

You may also find some interesting information by researching VEC - I don't have a detailed source to give you, but with some searching you should be able to find publications published by Genmar on how this method and things like Roplene construction are better than traditional construction methods. http://www.genmar.com/page.cfm?id=55

 

Thanx a lot Jeff

Keep Pouring in...

 

TPI's version of vacuum bagging (SCRIMP): http://www.tpicomp.com/technology/advantage.htm

 

Managing Director

Looking to buy fiber glass boats 40'

 

Siva,
For good overview of modern boat construction , problems , techniques ect.

Professional Boatbuilder (located in CT) would be invaluable.

They have lots of back issues on disc , so you can get up to speed quickly.

FAST FRED

 

Siva,

Professional Boatbuilder magazine is a definitely good resource, but they are located in Maine, not Connecticut. You can access them at www.proboat.com. You college should have a copy, which is a free subscription. Get them to get it if they don't.

Four other books that you should consult:

"Use of Fiber Reinforced Plastics in the Marine Industry", by the Ship Structure Committee (an independent organization), Publication SSC-360, 1990.

"Design Guide for Marine Applications of Composites", also for the Ship Structure Committee, Final Report, Contract DTCG23-94-R-E01010, published by Eric Greene Associates, Inc., 86 River Drive, Annapolis, MD 21403.

"Modern Boatbuilding Materials and Methods", by Steve Sleight, published by International Marine Publishing (now part of McGraw Hill), copyright 1986.

"Fiberglass Boat Design and Construction", by Robert C. Scott, 1973, originally published by John DeGraff. Now I think it is published by The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, or at least, it is available through them

These books will cover the basic science of composite boat construction over the last 40 years.

Eric Sponberg