What is G10

What is G10? You may have heard of G10 and that it has something to do with manufacturing electrical boards.  You know, those cool green boards in the back of your computer. But, this marvelous material has a life that can extend far beyond those circuit boards.

Look at G10

Look at G10 Material if you need something very electrically stable and sound.  This material conducts almost no electricity which lends itself perfectly to the circuit board industry.  The material is very hard and rigid. And, it has properties that keep the coefficient of thermal expansion to a minimum.  This is why you see G10 material being used so often in circuit boards. As circuit boards tend to heat up when in use. If material that had all the circuit board parts attached expanded greatly it would cause harm to the computers and other components.  

G10 material is a high-pressure fiberglass laminate that can be used in things other than Circuit boards.  However, circuit boards are one of the more common applications. It is created by stacking multiple layers of glass cloth into a soaking epoxy resin.  It is one of the toughest glass fiber laminates out there to date. This is why it’s so popular to work with. G10 material can be used in a variety of applications such as knife handles, boating applications, printed circuit boards, Insulators, jigs and fixtures, and other components.

The material must have custom fabrication and it is not an injection molding type of material.  It is quite difficult to machine and must use specialized cutters due to the strength of the material. However, G10 can be fabricated, machined and assembled with the correct equipment and the final product is amazing.

G10 Applications

What is G10

Because G10 has little water absorption using it in and around boats is a great option. It is very similar to the popular starboard because G10’s epoxy it bonds well with other epoxies.  G10 is non-corrosive as well and makes great back plates for high load applications due to its strength.  It is the perfect material for Engine room bulkhead and holding engine mounting brackets. It has great fire and electrical insulation properties and is resistant to oil and moisture, which helps make it the perfect match for the engine room in ships.  

Mounting boards is another great application for G10.  This material has a super high strength that stops it from bending or breaking under load.  It doesn’t absorb moisture even when exposed over time and oil doesn’t bother the G10 material.  These are some extremely strong and desirable properties for many applications. The material is similar to cutting sheet metal and offers very little heat expansion so getting the blade a bit hot will not affect the cut at all.    

G10 is very similar to Starboard which is used in most boating applications, however, it’s not as widely used.  This is because very few people are aware that G10 is far less costly and has virtually the same properties.  G10 does break down in UV light, so if it’s a component that is exposed to the sun, not a good idea. However, all those other places on a boat that needs backing plates and such, you have found the best product for such an application in G10.

If you should have any questions regarding G10, and still asking yourself “what is G10?” contact us.  We work with G10 all the time. There are so many materials out there and it is impossible to know them all.  We like G10 for its great properties and are sure you will too.