Typical glass products

Fibreglass Rovings
Fibreglass rovings are produced by collecting a bundle of strands into a single large rope, which is wound into a stable cylindrical package or roving. They are used in many different applications. When used in a spraying fabrication, the roving is chopped with an air-powered gun that propels the chopped-glass strands to a mould while simultaneously applying resin and catalyst in the correct ratio. This process is commonly used for linings in storage tanks, bath tubs, shower stalls, and many marine applications.

Sheet moulding compound
Sheet moulding compound (SMC) is a typical material used in automotive body panels. With SMCs the roving is chopped onto a bed of formulated polyester resin and compacted into a sheet which thickens with time. This sheet is then placed in a press and moulded into parts. Rovings are also used in the filament winding process and the pultrusion process.

Woven Rovings
Woven rovings are where a roving is literally woven to form a fabric. This yields a coarse product that is used in many hand lay-up and panel moulding processes to produce FRPs. The weave can be done in many different ways as with any textile to produce a material with strength in both directions. Alternatively a unidirectionally stitched or knitted roving will provide strength primarily in one direction. Many novel fabrics largely taken from the knowledge of the textile industry are currently available, including biaxial and triaxial weaves.

Chopped Strand Mat
Chopped strand mat is the most familiar composite and is often termed "fibre glass". It is produced with chopped fibres which can be of different lengths depending on the material required. A chopped- strand mat is formed by randomly depositing chopped fibrespecialitybelt or chain and binding them with a chemical binder, usually a thermoplastic resin with a styrene solubility ranging from low to high, depending on the application.

For example, hand lay-up processes used for moderate corrosion-resistant liners or boat hulls require high solubility, whereas closed mould processes such as cold press or compression molding require low solubility to prevent washing in the mould during curing. Continuous-strand mat is formed in a similar manner but without chopping, and, usually, less binder is required because of increased mechanical entanglement, which provides some inherent integrity. Continuous strand mat may be used in closed mould processes and as a supplemental product in unidirectional processes such as pultrusion, where some transverse strength is required. A number of specialty mats are also produced. Surface veils made with Corrosion resistant glass are used to make corrosion resistant liners for pipes and tanks used extensively in the chemical processing industry. Surface veils made from other glass compositions are used to provide a smooth finished surface in some applications.

Chopped glass is widely used as a reinforcement in the injection moulding industry. The glass and resin may be dry blended or extrusion compounded in a preliminary step before moulding, or the glass may be fed directly into the moulding machine with the plastic resin. Hundreds of different parts for many applications are made in this manner. Chopped glass may also be used as a reinforcement in some thermosetting applications, such as bulk moulding compounds.