Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP) profiles are particularly useful in applications where metals are unable to provide an optimal solution: for example, where corrosion is a concern or lightweight structural shapes are required for easy installation.
One of the most common applications of fiberglass strut profiles is in outdoor environments where a structure is exposed to chemicals.
Some of these include outdoor walkways and water treatment plants. They are also used in several outdoor activities, including arrow shafts, crossbow shafts, paddle shafts, hockey sticks, golf shafts, and kickboards.
Why Pultruded Products are Strong
Pultrusion is a manufacturing process used to produce parts with a constant cross-section. Pultrusion can also be carried out using a thermoplastic matrix material.
Pultrusion can manufacture composite products with high fiber content by pulling the material through the die. The use of pre-formers tightly controls the resin-to-fiber ratio, and fiber rovings (sometimes combined with fabrics) are pulled from the rear of the machine.
During the manufacturing process, they are guided into position, passed through a resin bath, and then through a die. Thermoset materials require curing time, so the die is positioned around the material during curing. The resin cures as it is pulled through the die and exits as a cured part. Long lengths of composite materials can be made quickly.
Why use pultruded products? When the resin hardens in the heated steel pultrusion die, the final product is shaped by the die and is strong and lightweight. Because it is formed continuously after being heated to high temperatures and then cured, it offers excellent corrosion resistance, insulation, and cost-effectiveness.
Examples of pultruded products with excellent longitudinal mechanical properties include beams, channels, and girders.
Uses for Fiberglass Channels and Beams, and other Profiles
- Long span roof, wall, & tank cover beams
- Primary building structures
- Baffle wall columns
- Cooling tower structures
- Cable management systems and support
Benefits of Using Fiberglass Profiles
Pultruded fiberglass profiles are superior to many traditional materials, such as wood, steel, and aluminum, because of their unique properties:
- Resistant to corrosion and chemicals ─ FRPs are resistant to a broad range of chemicals and are not affected by oxidation and corrosion. These properties reduce a project's total cost by eliminating costs associated with painting or galvanizing.
- Can withstand high temperatures ─ Pultruded fiberglass profiles are an optimal option for many applications. Fiberglass-reinforced composites are non-conductive, chemical-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. They can be made to have an ultra-high Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of about 575°F (302°C). As the highest-ranking Tg pultruded material tested, many FRP composites can withstand immense heat and pressure. So, if a fire should burn inside a building, the support structures made out of FRP composite materials should not falter as wood may.
- Lightweight with high tensile strength ─ Pultruded fiberglass profiles can be 30% lighter than aluminum and 70% lighter than steel, with high tensile strength. In particular, the pultruded profile provides exceptional dimensional stability, and its tensile strength is much higher than that of steel in a pound-to-pound comparison.
- Flexible and impact-resistant ─ FRPs do not deform permanently under working load, which is distributed by the glass mat to prevent surface damage.
- Cost-efficient ─ Pultruded fiberglass profiles are easy to handle and easier to transport. For example, they can be cut and shaped with simple tools, reducing the overall cost of a project. Major cost savings stem from easier on-site positioning and reduced structural strengthening and foundation design requirements.
- Highly durable ─ Pultruded fiberglass channels have a long lifecycle with low maintenance needs. Over the long term, these channels have low maintenance requirements and costs since they don't deteriorate or rust.
- EMI/RFI transparent ─ Pultruded channels provide non-magnetic electromagnetic transparency and are therefore an ideal solution for many applications where metal parts can create interference. Pultruded products have a low thermal conductivity of 1/250 (aluminum) and 1/60 (steel). This feature makes the pultruded product effective as a thermal break.
- Sustainable ─ Pultruded products are energy-efficient, require less heat, produce less waste, and cause less pollution. In addition, FRP can have a service life of 75 to 150 years and be recycled or remolded into other plastic-based products. They are an eco-friendly choice across industries such as construction, manufacturing, and recreation.
Applications for Fiberglass Channels and other profiles
Pultruded fiberglass channels are particularly useful in applications in which metals can't provide an ideal solution, for example, where corrosion is a concern or lightweight structural shapes are required for easy installation.
As they are lightweight, easy to install, versatile, strong, durable, with a long lifecycle, pultruded fiberglass channels are widely used in various industries, including:
- Construction and Infrastructure: FRP products are commonly used in outdoor construction projects due to their durability. They can be cut and shaped with simple tools for easy installation, and their low maintenance requirements translate to a low cost of ownership. Thanks to its high tensile strength and ease of installation, pultruded fiberglass profiles can be used as floor joists. In addition, they are also used in bridge components, corrosion-resistant guardrails, railway crossing arms, and highway sound barriers.
- Utility and Telecommunications: The durability, non-conductivity, low maintenance requirements, and EMI/RFI transparency of pultruded fiberglass profiles make them ideal for applications such as utility poles, cross arms, and line markers; electrical lines and trunking; wastewater and water treatment components; non-conductive ladder rails; and fiber-optic cabling.
- Tool Manufacturing: FRPs provide a low-cost, versatile, and reliable option for manufacturers. FRPs can be customized according to customers' needs and sizes to create ergonomic shapes for devices and handheld tools.
- Sporting, Recreational, and Outdoor Equipment: Pultruded fiberglass profiles are often used in outdoor equipment that must withstand moisture, sunlight, heat, and heavy wear. Applications include outdoor furniture and high-performance sporting equipment such as golf clubs, hockey sticks, sailing equipment, paddles, and ski poles.
Turning Design Concept to Reality
For over two decades, Tencom's expert engineers have helped designers, builders, and manufacturers in various industries turn design ideas into reality.
We can help you customize FRP components and integrate them into your manufacturing process, so you can deliver the right product on time and within budget. Contact us.
