Coastal Concrete Counters Inc. of Pensacola, FL has developed Illumistone^TM, a line of illuminated cast concrete surfaces incorporating fiber optic lighting utilizing TechFab's C-GRID®.

Illumistone^TM surfaces are cast concrete pieces incorporating a variety of fiber optic lighting effects. The biggest challenge in developing a process to place fiber optic lighting into a cast concrete surface was finding a way to lock each fiber into place so that placement of the concrete into the form would not displace the fibers or flatten them against the mold bottom. Failure of a single .75-millimeter fiber to remain in place during casting could potentially ruin an entire piece worth thousands of dollars. The individual fibers have to be locked in place in a way that prevents both lateral and vertical movement during the casting process.

C-GRID^TM provided the missing element that was needed. C-GRID^TM is used as an alignment matrix to which the individual fiber elements are anchored, preventing either lateral displacement or lifting during the casting process. At the same time, C-GRID^TM adds structural reinforcement to the cast piece, eliminating the need to incorporate rebar or reinforcing wire into the fiber optic alignment matrix, significantly simplifying the casting process and speeding production time. As an additional benefit, the black color of C-GRID^TM simplifies the quality assurance process.

Illumistone^TM was initially created with the outdoor and entertainment concrete surface markets in mind. However, several customers have inquired about using Illumistone^TM in other unique ways such as vanities for children¹s bathrooms, custom designs manufactured for the bottom of swimming pools and the potential for the product to be used in various applications for the visually impaired.

TechFab, LLC is headquartered in Anderson, South Carolina and manufactures adhesive bonded nonwoven scrims, scrim composites, carbon fiber C-GRID^TM and MeC-GRID^TM Structural Grids using fiber glass, polyester, Twaron', Kevlar^TM, Spectra^TM, Vectran^TM and other high performance fibers. Adhesive binder systems used by TechFab include PVC, Latex, SBR, urethanes, and epoxy thermoset resins. Examples of applications for the company's products include cement and concrete reinforcement, roofing systems, high performance sail cloth, and infrastructure repair and rehabilitation products. The company is a 50/50 joint venture with partners Hexcel and Chomarat.

For more information on TechFab, LLC and C-GRID^TM, please call John Carson at 864.260.5781 or visit TechFab, LLC on the Internet at www.techfabllc.com.