Made from a composite material consisting of polyester resin and fiberglass, pultruded fiberglass tubes are lightweight and durable. The pultrusion process produces fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) with a continuous length of reinforcing fibers, which gives the fiberglass tubes their exceptional tensile strength despite the lightweight.
The pultrusion process also allows the fiberglass tubes to be custom-made into virtually any size and shape to meet a wide range of requirements. Standard shapes include round, square, or rectangular profiles and they're available as structural pultrusions or pultruded electrical shapes.
The resin systems and glass content can be adjusted during the manufacturing process, altering the composite matrices to produce pultruded fiberglass tubes of various characteristics, such as high strength, tolerance of different temperature ranges, as well as flame-retardant, track-resistant, and corrosion-resistant properties.
Different colors can be achieved by adding pigments during the pultrusion process and a UV-resistant treatment can be added to increase the FRP's durability for outdoor applications.
Advantages Of Pultruded Fiberglass Tubes & Pipes
Pultruded fiberglass tubes outperform traditional materials such as wood, steel, and aluminum in many ways. They're easy to work with, more durable, and produce safer products. Here are some of the key benefits of pultruded fiberglass tubes:
- Available in a variety of shapes, including round, square, and rectangular, and in different sizes.
- Offer high tensile strength, dimensional stability, and rigidity.
- Can be manufactured in any size and shape to meet various design requirements.
- 30% lighter than aluminum and 70% lighter than steel without sacrificing any strength.
- Resistant to deformation during high impact.
- Can be cut and shaped using simple tools, so they're less costly and safer to work with.
- Effective protective barriers for hot or electrically-charged components since they don't conduct heat or electricity.
- Non-magnetic electromagnetic transparency makes them ideal for specialized and scientific applications.
- Highly durable, chemical-resistant, and corrosion-resistant.
- Don't rot or degrade even after prolonged exposure to moisture, temperature extremes, or UV radiation.
- Have a long lifecycle (over 15 years) with very low maintenance cost since they don't deteriorate or rust.
- Durability and recyclability provide sustainable solutions for the construction and manufacturing industries.
- Offer the versatility required by today's manufacturing industry for creating customized and intricate designs to meet various needs.
Applications Of Pultruded Fiberglass Tubes & Pipes
Pultruded fiberglass tubes have unique characteristics suitable for a wide range of applications.
Round tubes of various diameters are used in antenna housings, handles for tools (e.g., snow shovels, paint rollers, mop and broom, lawn garden tools), tree pruners, professional service tools, railing systems, telescoping tools, and flag poles.
Square and rectangular tubes are commonly used in insulators, railroad cross arms, spacers, framing, structural supports, and bench slats.
Thanks to their low cost, lightweight, ease of handling, versatility, strength, durability, and long lifecycle, pultruded fiberglass tubes are widely used in many industries:
- Construction and Infrastructure: commonly used in outdoor construction projects since they don't rot, rust, corrode, or crumble. They can be cut and shaped easily using simple tools and the low maintenance requirements often translate into a lower cost of ownership. They can be found in bridge components, corrosion-resistant guardrails, antenna housing, railway crossing arms, and highway sound barriers.
- Utility and Telecommunications: the durable and non-conductive nature, as well as non-magnetic electromagnetic transparency property make pultruded fiberglass tubes ideal for use in 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: FRP can be used to create ergonomic shapes for various handheld tools or devices thanks to its safety, versatility, and reliability. Since it's non-conductive, it's often used to protect end-users from hot or electrified components.
- Sporting, Recreational and Outdoor Equipment: pultruded fiberglass tubes are used in outdoor equipment that needs to endure heavy wear and tear. For instance, outdoor furniture made with FRP can withstand prolonged exposure to moisture, sunlight, and heat.
Meanwhile, pultruded fiberglass tubes are often incorporated into sporting equipment that needs to be light, tough, and reliable (e.g., golf clubs, hockey sticks, sailing equipment, paddles, ski poles.)
Pultruded Fiberglass Tubes & Pipes: Turning Design Concept Into Reality
For over 22 years, our team of expert engineers has worked with designers, builders, and manufacturers to turn a wide range of design possibilities into reality.
From customizing FRP components to implementing them in the manufacturing process, we're here to make sure you get the right product at the right time and at the right price.
