OCV™ Technical Fabrics provides high-value-added solutions for demanding commercial and industrial applications. In its 10 factories, located in eight countries, OCV™ Technical Fabrics manufactures a comprehensive glass, carbon and hybrid product range including:

• A variety of 3D fabric reinforcements for closed-mold processes
• Multiaxial, woven and unidirectional carbon and aramid fibers with a dedicated aerospace-approved manufacturing facility
• Multiaxials, knits and combinations made with two or more layers of unidirectional fibers stitched together with a light polyester thread; also available are multiaxials that are powder-bonded instead of stitched
• Specialty mats made with chopped glass fibers with either a universal silane sizing or special sizings for thermoplastic or phenolic resins
• Unidirectionals and combinations of stitched, woven and hot-melt reinforcements in full width or tape form
• Woven roving (WR) fabrics and combinations made with glass and/ or other fibers, based on direct, assembled or texturized roving
• A complex of WR and chopped strand mat (CSM) either powderbonded or mechanically stitched with a fine polyester or glass yarn without chemical binder

OCV™ Technical Fabrics is also developing advanced solutions to help its customers transform markets with new applications. A prime example is Ultrablade™ fabric developed to enable customers to produce longer and lighter wind blades. The Technical Fabrics business is also working on solutions for the in-situ relining of pressurized pipe and fabrics for thermoplastic composites. Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) relining uses winding and folding technology with oriented-chop fabrics and woven roving mat fabrics. The business also has a fabrics excellence center at its facility in Zele, Belgium. The 5,500-square-meter (about 60,000 square feet) facility has both pilot- and full-scale state-of-the-art production equipment for developing, testing and evaluating new fabric technologies before production and use in customer processes.

Owens Corning is the leading global producer of glass-based specialty non-wovens. The products are made from randomly dispersed glass fibers, wet or dry laid and bonded into a thin sheet.

Veils and specialty non-wovens are used in multiple applications in several industries:

• Surfacing veils for glass-reinforced polymer (GRP) laminates including pipe and chemical storage tanks
• Surfacing veils for flat GRP panels
• Surfacing veils for gypsum sheathing and wallboard
• Core materials for flat panels

Nearly all of the non-woven products manufactured by Owens Corning are unique for each customer and application. Its business model is grounded in servicing individual customer needs. The marketfocused organization works closely with a diverse set of marketleading global customers to identify and design new solutions.

OCVTM Reinforcements is dedicated to creating customer value by delivering world-class solutions, expertise and support. The business offers the widest range of glass fiber reinforcement products in the world.
Our industry-leading portfolio includes reinforcements focused on specific markets and applications to expand the use of composite materials. Markets and solutions include:

• Transforming translucent panels with OC HiLightTM roving
• Transforming advanced closed-mold processes with Uniconform®
• Transforming automotive mufflers with Silentex® noise control solutions including new pre-form technology
• Transforming planes, pressure tanks and military vehicles with new high-performance reinforcements
• Transforming roads, runways and parking lots with TruPave® engineered paving mat that helps prevent cracking
• Transforming applications for corrosive environments with Advantex® E-CR glass fiber reinforcements
• Transforming reinforced concrete with Cem-FIL® alkali-resistant glass fibers
• Transforming reinforced thermoplastics with Twintex® co-mingled glass and thermoplastic reinforcements

All of these specialty products are:

• Engineered for high quality and premium performance
• Tailored to help you grow your business and develop new applications
• Designed to compete against steel, aluminum and other traditional materials

These products and others are commercially available and can help you expand the use of composites for years to come.

Advantex® glass fiber reinforcements from Owens Corning are both an E-glass and a true E-CR glass according to ASTM D 578, ISO 2078, and DIN1259-1. The product provides improved corrosion resistance compared to standard E-glass.

When it was introduced in 1997, boron-free Advantex® glass was expected to provide superior corrosion resistance in acidic environments. That benefit was confirmed with field use data, and field experience also found that the product performs well in any aqueous environment, including water and alkaline solutions.

Compared to standard E-glass, Advantex® glass also decreases emissions and reduces the environmental impact of manufacturing fiberglass.

A recent study by Owens Corning also shows how Advantex® glass fiber outperforms standard E-glass reinforcements in stressed composite laminates in a corrosive environment. Previous testing examined the impact of corrosive chemicals on bare glass. The new study checked laminates under load in a corrosive environment to more closely simulate conditions an application may encounter in the field.

The study combined corrosion and stress testing and examined the laminates using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray) spectroscopy. Advantex® glass fiber laminates demonstrated superior corrosion resistance compared to E-glass in laminates exposed to a solution of 10 percent sulfuric acid. The study also confirmed previous findings on the leaching mechanism of E-glass in acidic environments.

The outcome provides a compelling reason for using Advantex® glass fiber reinforcements throughout a composite structure. While some designs require E-CR glass in a corrosion barrier and allow standard E-glass in the rest of the laminate, these results argue for reducing the risk of laminate failure by using E-CR glass throughout the structure.

Advantex® glass fibers provide a competitive advantage for our customers by helping them create high-value applications for the benefit of their customers and the end-users.

For additional information, visit www.owenscorning.com/composites/aboutAdvantex.asp

The OCV™ High-Performance Reinforcements product platform features ShieldStrand®, XStrand®, FliteStrand® and WindStrand® high-strength reinforcement products targeted at ballistics, industrial, aerospace and wind energy markets.

Building on its heritage of leadership and innovation in glass fiber reinforcement and composite technology, Owens Corning developed a new generation of reinforcement technology that redefines the availability and value of high-performance glass fiber materials.

Owens Corning high-performance reinforcements offer these benefits:

• Strength - Up to 50 percent higher strength with S-glass versus conventional E-glass
• Modulus (stiffness) - Up to 20 percent higher modulus with S-glass versus conventional E-glass fibers
• Fatigue - End-use parts have higher fatigue properties, a key requirement for high-performance composite applications
• Impact Resistance - Up to 80 percent better impact resistance than conventional E-glass fibers
• Aging and Corrosion Resistance - Better aging and corrosion resistance than E-CR and conventional E-glass fibers
• Temperature Resistance - Better resistance at elevated temperatures than conventional E-glass fibers

Proprietary technology provides the nucleus for the growing array of products with special properties. In 2006, Owens Corning introduced large-scale production to high-strength glass fiber, an achievement previously thought to be technically unfeasible.

Capacity for the new direct-melt process is about 50 times the size of paramelters typically used to produce high-strength glass. This scale production process was developed to make high-performance reinforcements widely available and achieve a level of value that enhances their competitiveness.

Wider availability provides greater choice and security of supply, encouraging the use of high-performance glass fiber reinforcements by designers and manufacturers.

Owens Corning Silentex® engineered products are the preferred solutions for acoustic and thermal applications in harsh environments.

Silentex® engineered products have been used successfully in the automotive exhaust market for more than 25 years to meet acoustic and thermal requirements. The products are produced with proprietary Advantex® E-CR glass, which provides exceptional thermal and chemical durability.

The Silentex® product line uses specially formulated sizings to enable highspeed processing and ensure maximum texturization can be obtained to achieve acoustic and thermal performance requirements.

• Equipment that can be used to directly fill silencers (mufflers) of all types
• Custom-designed bags (polymer or glass) filled with texturized glass fibers for insertion into silencers
• Low-binder molded inserts (preforms) that provide rapid mistakeproof insertion of texturized glass fibers into silencers
• Continuous tangle-free strand with customized texturization

Owens Corning Advantex® glass production facilities are in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Operations for bags and preforms are available in each of these regions along with technical support to assist with applications.

The use of Silentex® engineered solutions is not limited to the automotive market. The products can be used wherever extreme acoustic and thermal insulation is required. Current applications include power sport vehicles (motorcycles, snowmobile and ATVs), industrial silencers and other non-automotive applications.

Twintex® reinforcements are ready-to-use thermoplastic and glass combination designed for high mechanical properties, such as excellent stiffness-to-weight ratio and impact properties. The proprietary reinforcement also provides efficient and clean (no VOCs) process conditions, high freedom of design and is recyclable.

Twintex® products are made of co-mingled glass and thermoplastic filaments. Direct, single-end roving is the base material for the whole Twintex® reinforcement product line, and can be provided with a polypropylene matrix (PP) or co-polyester resin (PET).

Consolidation is achieved by heating the roving above melting temperature of the matrix (180°C-230°C/360°F-450°F for PP) and applying a pressure before cooling step under pressure.

The Twintex® PP product range also includes fabrics, plates and long glass fiber concentrated pellets:
Applications made with Twintex® reinforcements include:

• Bumper beams
• Kayak seats
• Truck panel skins
• Micro-car floors
• Under engine protection
• Small boat hulls
• Front end assemblies
• Inside door panels
• Standard profiles and profiles with external coating
• Pressure vessels

Special alkali-resistant (AR) glass fibers have been developed for use with cement-based products (glass-reinforced concrete [GRC], mortars, composite cement, etc.). The fibers are manufactured with Zirconia content in compliance with ASTM C 1666/0 1666/M-07 and EN 15455. AR glass fibers from Owens Corning are marketed as Cem-FIL® glass fiber.

AR glass fibers have been in use for 40 years in more than 100 countries worldwide to create some of the world's most stunning architecture while offering strong and durable performance in widely varying cement- and mortar-based applications, including new and restored building facades, pre-cast components, utility poles, and residential and industrial flooring. In some flooring applications, AR glass fibers can replace the structural steel grid.

AR glass fibers are unique as a concrete reinforcement. They have the same specific gravity as the stone or gravel mixed in concrete so fiber dispersion is easier to achieve than with other fibers.

AR fiber contributes efficiently to tensile strength before concrete is able to crack, thanks to its high elastic modulus and its affinity for and efficient bonding with concrete. AR glass fiber reinforcements can reduce the weight and thickness of concrete by a factor of 10.

The benefits of Cem-FIL® AR glass fiber include:

• Excellent compatibility with cement matrix
• Excellent workability even at high dosage
• Increases chemical resistance (e.g. deicing products)
• Extends long-term durability of concrete
• Does not float or sink in concrete
• Does not entrap air
• Fast and uniform dispersion

Cem-FIL® fibers are manufactured under a quality management system approved as meeting the requirements for ISO 9001. Additionally, the performance of Cem-FIL® fibers has been subjectded to independent assessment and approval in Germany (Zulassung N° Z-3.72.1731), and Cem-FIL® fibers meet the safety standards of European Directive 99/45/ EC, 67/548/EEC and their latest amendments.

The manufacturing process for glass fiber reinforcements begins with raw materials, which are basically minerals. We mix those minerals based on the recipe of the glass formulation.

The three main ingredients used to make glass are silicon dioxide (SiO2), lime (calcium oxide or CaO) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3). Changing the mix of those components and other minerals will result in significantly different glasses. E-glass (with good electrical insulation properties, hence the name) is a commonly used glass on the market.

Advantex® glass, which is recognized as the standard within the OCV™ businesses, has no boron in the batch and as a result has better corrosion resistance and a smaller environmental footprint than standard E-glass. Other glasses (alkali-resistant glass [AR] for cement or high-performance glasses) are also available in the OCV™ product line.

A furnace converts the mineral batch into molten glass and then distributes the glass through a channel into an area called the forehearth where the glass fibers are formed. A typical furnace is about the size of a three-car garage. It runs at a little more than 2,300°F (1250°C) for 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

Once completely molten, the liquid and homogeneous glass composition flows into heated refractory channels to feed the bushings. The bushings are made of a platinum and rhodium alloy that has small holes through which liquid glass flows.

The glass then solidifies into filament shape by rapid cooling. Once solidified, the glass filaments are coated with a sizing made of chemical components which give the glass strands a good process-ability and adhesion with resins.

Several fabrication processes exist to produce different product formats: multi-end roving, chopped strands, veil or continuous filament mat.

Composites are combinations of two or more materials (reinforcing elements and resin) that retain their identities while acting in concert. Fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are safe and reliable solutions, able to face tough conditions in various environments and have outperformed traditional materials for many years.

Composites offer these important benefits:

• Light Weight - Composite parts help save weight compared to steel parts (up to 30 percent lighter) with similar thermomechanical properties.
• High Strength - Pound for pound, glass fibers are stronger than steel. Composites gain their strength when fibers are set within a resin matrix. Fibers carry the load while the resin spreads the load imposed on the composite.
• Easy to Shape - Composites can be molded into complex shapes at relatively low cost. This flexibility offers designers extensive latitude in new product design.
• Integration of Functions - Parts with multiple functions can often be made in a single step with composites.
• Corrosion Resistance - Composites provide long-term resistance to severe chemical and temperature environments. Composites are the material choice for outdoor exposure, chemical handling and severe environment service.
• Durability - Composite structures have an exceedingly long life span. Coupled with low maintenance requirements, the longevity of composites is a benefit when used in critical applications. After a half-century of use, many well-designed composite structures have yet to wear out.
• Cost savings - Thanks to their low weight and high mechanical properties, the use of composites in many applications reduces manufacturing, shipping and maintenance costs compared to traditional materials such as steel.

For more information about the advantages of composites, visit the website of the American Composite Manufacturers Association at www.acmanet.org/consumers/.

Composite materials have many benefits in end-use applications including four that have special significance for the environment.

• Lightweight parts for automobiles and trucks are contributing to fuel savings while resisting corrosion and lasting longer
• The use of durable fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) pipe for oil, water and sewage projects takes advantage of the noncorrosive properties of FRP
• The Silentex® muffler filling system is being adopted by leading car and truck manufacturers to help quiet their vehicles
• With various technical methods now available, the recycling of glass strand is possible in both thermoplastic and thermoset applications

Owens Corning has worked with its customers to analyze the environmental impact of their products and similar goods made with competitive materials. Composite materials fared well in these studies. The embodied energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) environmental burden for the raw materials mined and used in finished composite parts were consistently lower than their steel or aluminum equivalents. The studies also quantified reduced energy and greenhouse gases during the transportation of finished parts due to their significantly lighter weight.

The company's proprietary Advantex® glass formulation contributes to sustainability by increasing mechanical properties and corrosion resistance - compared to standard E glass - while also decreasing emissions and reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing fiberglass.

Owens Corning glass fiber veils for carpet, ceilings and flooring are the first in the glass non-woven industry to earn two rigorous indoor air quality certifications from the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. These products - for new interior applications - are now GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified®, along with being certified for the more stringent GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM product emissions standard.

Glass fiber reinforcements for wind turbine blades enable commercial generation electricity from a renewable resource. Owens Corning is the leading provider of materials for wind energy.