Thermoplastic technique cuts production costs

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Feb 26, 2008

PlastiComp's new D-FW process makes it easy for users to change the colour, fibre content, polymer, or fibre that they use in order to customise their filament wound product.

PlastiComp's pultrusion process enables the company to introduce direct in-line filament winding (D-FW) materials that offer improved benefits to customers at a significantly lower cost compared with competitive products.

"Unlike typical precompounded thermoplastic filament winding materials currently offered, our D-FW technology gives the customer the ability to completely customise their filament wound product by easily changing the colour, fibre content, polymer, or fibre used in the process".

"The speed at which our process can be run allows the user the ability to significantly increase output, thus reducing costs", said Eric Wollan, Manager of PlastiComp's Technical Development Centre.

"A wide variety of applications can benefit from our innovative in-line filament winding technology ranging from sporting good products, such as baseball bats, to many industrial products including pipes and tanks" said Steve Bowen, PlastiComp President and CEO.

Thermoplastic composite materials offer excellent strength-to-weight ratios and good resin uniformity in finished parts that are circular in shape.