Engineering Myths #2

More Laminate Means A Stronger Boat

Adding more layers of reinforcement can increase strength, but it doesn’t automatically make a structure better. An oversized laminate can add unnecessary weight, drive up material cost and production time, and reduce overall structural efficiency.

What really matters is how the structure is designed. Fibre orientation, laminate sequence, load paths, core configuration and local reinforcements all influence how loads are carried.

The objective isn’t to use as much material as possible. It’s to achieve the required structural performance with the most efficient use of material.
Good composite engineering starts with understanding the loads, the application and the manufacturing process, not simply adding more layers.

What’s your take? Have you ever seen a structure that was over-engineered?