We’ve written in the past about how a specific type of material isn’t granted Military Specification (or Mil-Spec) simply by virtue of the fact that it exists.Sep 26, 2018 | Materials, Mil Spec, Military, News, Phenolics
We’ve written in the past about how a specific type of material isn’t granted Military Specification (or Mil-Spec) simply by virtue of the fact that it exists. It must meet certain essential technical requirements, either for military-unique for substantially modified commercial items – proving that it’s reliable, dependable and cost-effective in terms of what the United States Military needs it to do. Based on that, the uses of these items are often above and beyond what average users might expect – and such is the case with Mil-I-24768/1.
MIL-I-24768/1 is the specification that refers to a particular type of continuous filament, woven glass fabric that is made with a reinforced melamine resin. It’s also referred to by other names, like G-9 Glass Melamine. While it may not be as popular or as commonly used as something like FR4/G-10 Glass Epoxy, G-9 Glass Melamine is of critical importance to a wide range of different applications that are worth exploring.
Glass Reinforced Melamine: Breaking Things Down
The major advantage here is that G-9 Glass Melamine provides an excellent level of strength in wet environments in particular, making it perfect for situations where arc and flame resistance are required but the elements may be an issue. It’s known for retaining both its shape and size under heavy use in heavily saturated or even waterlogged environments and has a temperature limitation of 284 degrees Fahrenheit, or 140 degrees Celsius.
It’s also important to note that these properties make it an ideal substitute for G-5 Reinforced Melamine (MIL-I-24768/8) in a number of circumstances. They’re very similar in terms of dimensional stability and arc resistance, but G-9 is more resistant to environmental elements than its counterpart. Therefore, G-9 is a more-than-adequate alternative to G-5 in applications that require the item to be used outdoors.
Typical applications for MIL-I-24768/1 include but are not limited to use as arc barriers, as structural parts, for welding applications, in circuit breaker components, in specialty terminal blocks and in switchboard panels.
- Switchboard panels, for example, are essential in the military for getting communications networks off the ground at sites that may be temporary in nature.
- Terminal blocks are critical for safely and reliably connecting various electrical components together to create a larger network or system.
- Arc barriers are used by the military all over the world for everything from supplying bases with power to protecting against shock waves from projectiles that have been fired at servicemen and women while in the field.
In these ways, MIL-I-24768/1 is absolutely one of those materials that people don’t think too much about, but that our lives would be very different without. As any member of the military will tell you, oftentimes you’re working in absolutely unforgiving environments – but that doesn’t make the task at hand any less important. Regardless of what Mother Nature happens to throw at you, you need components that you can trust with your life should the situation demand it. MIL-I-24768/1 is something that would certainly be found on that list.
