AbstractThe structural utility of short, glass fiber‐reinforced epoxy composities is experimentally investigated for fiber volume fractions from 0.15 to 0.5. The strength and stiffness of systems with randomly oriented fibers are compared with those of similar composites with aligned fibers. The ultimate strength of both types of material increses in a reasonably linear fashion with volume fraction up to 0.5. For all volume fractions in this range, strength of the random composites is slightly higher than the longitudinal and much higher than the transverse strength of equivalent compsites with aligned fibers. The modulus of the random system is approximately two‐thirds the longitudinal and twice the transverse modulus of the unidirectional material. The structural utility of the flow molded material is greatest in uniaxial, stiffness critical situations. The greater strength and planar isotropy of the random composites make them preferable in all strength limited or multiaxial applicati