Metal matrix composites

REL has been manufacturing high quality components for the last 25 years with customers ranging from small operations to Fortune 500 companies. REL has the capacity and expertise to meet your production schedule and your budget. With a staff of highly qualified engineers, machinists, fabricators, and casters, customer satisfaction is guaranteed through their internal quality control programs. Advanced product quality planning (APQP) documentation follows every MMC component produced by REL to assure consistent, cost effective, products delivered on time.

Metal matrix composites, also known as MMC's, are composite materials with at least two constituent parts, one part being a metal. The other part may be a different material or metal. Matrix composites that are metal have been developed for space systems applications. A metal matrix composite is developed to have specific qualities like high temperature capability and high stiffness and strength, as in the requirements for spacecraft.

Metal matrix composites are an ongoing development at REL. Lightweight composite materials including metal matrix composites, ceramics, and metallic foams are the focus of REL research. These matrix composites are developed for "tailored" material performance, including selective stiffening, selective strengthening, and machining characteristics. Custom-engineered materials like metal matrix composites can be used in various industries: automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, semiconductor, medical, and military.

MMCs Competitive Edge

Metal matrix composites give companies a competitive advantage, offering weight or performance benefits. Matrix composites with metal have been used effectively in high speed machinery. Providing materials design with matrix composites, prototype manufacturing, and custom automated machinery makes REL Machine a powerful partner in advanced technologies. MMCs of REL are a cost effective advantage because of REL's innovative product deployment process (IPD). IPD demands that not only the product team, but also the key processes be "under one roof" or controlled by one team. With this vertical integration and the development of key technologies, the MMC components that we manufacture have become a cost effective solution to industrial needs. Advanced product quality planning documentation follows every MMC component produced by REL to assure consistent, cost effective, products delivered on time.

An example of the cost effectiveness of MMCs was shown in a project for a Fortune 500 company where REL produced a MMC component as a direct replacement of 300 series stainless. In this one component alone, the company received a MMC component that saved them weight, improved the wear resistance and dimensional stability and most importantly, will save them over $1.5 million/per year. By switching to REL manufactured MMC components, this company was able to reduce costs and create an efficient product with a high ROI.

Contact REL today for any component question and we will take you through the planning process to produce your own cost-saving MMC components.