Processes
High-quality processes for complete composite solutions
Process
Pultrusion
ARCOsystem, one of our popular Cable Management Systems, comprises a trough and lid manufactured by pultrusion, continuous processes which create strong glass fibre-reinforced polymer profiles.
In this controlled, semi-automatic process, glass reinforcement together with a surface veil is fed from roving creels and mat strands through the resin impregnation bath and to the preform area in front of the die.
The resin mix can contain any required additives for the application, including fire retardants, UV inhibitors and the catalyst systems necessary to initiate cure.
The resin-impregnated reinforcement pack passes through the in-feed prior to entering the die, where the exact shape of the profile being produced is generated. The die is heated to 145˚C, which initiates the release of free radicals in the catalyst and enables the cross-linking, polymerisation and subsequent change from liquid to solid.
Upon its exit from the die, a fibreglass-reinforced polyester pultruded profile is hauled by the pullers to be cut to length for subsequent use or secondary fabrication.
Pultrusion is also used to manufacture structural profiles for our access engineering, fencing and bespoke structures, such as walkways and pedestrian bridges.
Our pultruded profiles are manufactured to internationally accepted standards, allowing established design principles to be easily used to fabricate standard and bespoke structures alike.
Process
Injection Moulding
Injection moulding with virgin-quality polypropylene ensures consistently high-quality products with predictable properties, making it the perfect manufacturing method for our resilient TERRA thermoplastic trough system.
Pellets of thermoplastic resin are first introduced to the machine via a hopper. The pellets become molten after reaching the heated barrel, and the molten material is then fed into a temperature-controlled split mould via a channel system of gates and runners.
The machine’s screw finally plasticises the polymer and injects it into the mould under intense pressure, where it assumes the shape of the part being produced.
High-volume production runs ensure high quality, reproducible results, justifying the significant investment required in tooling to produce the TERRAsystem.
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