What is an FRP composite material? How are they manufactured? Discuss their applications in aviation and automobile industries. (UPSC 2013)

FRP composite material is a fibre-reinforced polymer in which glass, carbon or aramid fibres are embedded in a polymer resin; fibres provide strength and stiffness, while resin binds, protects and transfers load.

• Manufacture: fibres are laid, woven or wound, then impregnated with resin and cured by heat or pressure, using hand lay-up, pultrusion, filament winding, resin transfer moulding or autoclave curing.
• In aviation, FRPs are used in fuselage, wings, control surfaces and engine parts for low weight, fuel economy and fatigue resistance; in automobiles, they are used for body panels, bumpers, springs, shafts and battery cases to improve safety and efficiency.

Thus, FRPs offer a strong, corrosion-resistant alternative to metals where weight reduction matters.