Glass fiber, also called fiberglass, is an inorganic non-metallic material which has the advantages of lower density, light weight, easy to handle and install. It is suitable in applications where lightweight materials are required. For example, it can fabricate the hulls of the boat, car and train to reduce their weight and improve their load. 

Glass fiber has low thermal conductivity, high temperature resistance and excellent thermal insulation property. It can withstand high temperature of 550 degrees C. Compared to some plastic materials, glass fiber can be used in higher temperature conditions without damage. It can maintain stable physical and mechanical properties under high temperature environment. Glass fiber can be woven into a range of fiberglass textiles, such as fiberglass cloth, tapes, ropes which have very good thermal insulation property.

Glass fiber is a corrosion resistant material. It is a non-metallic fibrous material that can resist most chemical substances. Compared to steel and aluminum, glass fiber is not affected by corrosion and oxidation, and has a long service life in wet, acid and alkali or marine environments.

Glass fiber is a good electrical insulation material. It has excellent electrical insulation property and can be extensively used in the electrical and electronic fields. For example, glass fiber can be made into various kinds of electric parts and can be used as wrapping and covering materials for electrical motors and many electrical devices.

Glass fiber has good weather resistance and can resist ultraviolet radiation, oxidation and fading. It is a wet-proof, mildew-proof material and is suitable for use under various environmental conditions both indoors and outdoors. However, steel material easily rusts if they expose under wet environment.

Although glass fiber has so many advantages, it has the disadvantage of brittleness and its abrasive resistance is not as good as steel. After all, the raw material of glass fiber is glass and glass is brittle. When we manufacture large scale sea vessels and other large heavy equipments, we still need steel and need to do a lot of welding work.

Steel is a very high strength material which can withstand very heavy load and pressure. This enables it to be widely used in construction engineering, bridge, shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, machinery manufacturing and other fields. Compared with glass fiber and other metals, steel has higher strength and better performance in many applications.

Steel has excellent plasticity. It is easy to process and form. Products of various shapes and sizes can be produced by cold working, hot working, forging, stretching and other processes. This allows steel to be widely used in machinery, automobiles, construction and other fields. It is one of the key materials in modern industry.

Steel is a recyclable material. It is an environmentally friendly material which can be repeatedly used for many times. The recycling rate of steel is getting higher and higher. It can not only reduce the waste of resources, but also reduce production costs and promote the coordinated development of the environment and economy.

Because steel has high strength, high hardness, good plasticity and other excellent characteristics, it is widely used in many important fields. For example, large steel components can be used to build large scale vessels, tall buildings, bridges and other facilities. The tire frame, body support and axle made of steel have good strength and hardness, which can make cars, trains and other means of transportation with more stability and safety. The high strength and high hardness of steel make it the main material for manufacturing heavy machinery equipment, agricultural machinery, engineering vehicles and other heavy machines.

Steel is a natural resource. Although it has many advantages, it is limited. Glass fiber can be obtained easily. With the use of glass fiber, we can save steel and other metal materials and bring benefits to mankind.