Processes

Pultrusion

Pultrusion is a continuous process for manufacturing composite profiles and structural shapes in which glass fiber reinforcements are saturated in resin and pulled through a heated die where the part is formed and cured.

Our continuous filament mat and veils are ideally suited for challenging pultrusion applications to provide improved structural properties, clean trim and punchability, and enhanced surface qualities.

Features & Benefits:

  • Conformability in thin complex profiles
  • Excellent wet-through and wet-out
  • High processing tensile strength
  • Provides structural strength in the transverse direction
  • Lighter weight reduces cost
  • Loft of material better fills die cavity
  • Corrosion resistant
  • Resin-rich surface improves UV resistance
  • Epoxy and phenolic capabilities

Products applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • CFM M8643, M8636, M8686
  • Surmat® (20 mil, 30 mil)
  • Conformat® N720, N721, N751
Windows made using Superior Huntingdon Composite's pultrusion process
Superior Huntingdon Composite's pultrusion process used to make cooling towers
Superior Huntingdon Composite's reinforcement products used in telephone poles

Product photo compliments of Creative Pultrusions

RTM / Vacuum Infusion

Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is a processes where continuous filament reinforcements are placed into an closed mold and resin is pumped into the mold cavity.

Vacuum Infusion is a process where continuous filament reinforcements are placed into an open mold and covered by a flexible material. Resin is then pulled into the mold at lower than atmospheric pressure with the assistance of a vacuum at one end to eliminate voids, air entrapment, and excess resin build up.

Features & Benefits:

  • Provides an ideal resin surface content
  • Used as flow media, reduces injection time
  • Improved structural performance
  • Maintains mat-wash resistance

Products applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • CFM M8610, M8635, M8635D1, M8635D2
  • Surmat® (10 mil – 40 mil)
  • Conformat N758, N758XS, N786, N863
Superior Huntingdon Composite's glass fiber reinforment products used to make boats
Superior Huntingdon Composite's RTM vacuum infusion process used to make a boat hull

Compression Molding

Compression Molding is a closed mold process by which glass fiber and thermosetting resins are placed in an open mold cavity and then subjected to high pressures as a matched die compresses the material and the resin is cured.

Features & Benefits:

  • Better surface appearance
  • Easy to trim, punch, machine and sand finished laminates
  • Reduces labor cost in post-processing
  • Epoxy and phenolic capabilities

Products applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • CFM M8610, M8612, M8615, M8635, M8636, M8686
  • Surmat® (10 mil – 30 mil)
  • Conformat N700, N786, N863
Superior Huntingdon Composite's compression molding process used to make cafeteria trays
Superior Huntingdon Composite's compression molding process used to make tractor parts
Superior Huntingdon Composite's compression molding process used to make transformer parts

Preforming

Preforming is a technique in which thermoformable continuous filament material is shaped to the desired contours of a finished part and then cured into a rigid state that matches the shape of the part to be molded.

Features & Benefits:

  • Reduces molding cycle times
  • Improves surface appearance
  • Reduces labor cost
  • More accurate glass placement

Products applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • Conformat N767XS
  • CFM M8675 (under development)
preforming
Superior Huntingdon Composite's preforming process used to make tractor trailer hoods

Glass Fiber Reinforced Gypsum (GFRG)

Glass Fiber Reinforced Gypsum is an open-mold, hand lay-up process in which gypsum plaster is combined with continuous filament glass veils and reinforcements to yield a thin, structurally sound, lightweight, non-flammable finished part.

Features & Benefits:

  • Provides greater part strength
  • Complete range of lightweight reinforcements
  • More fibers to fill small areas of the mold and part thickness

Products applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • Surmat® 200 (10 mil – 30 mil)
  • Conformat N700 (0.25 oz/ft2 – 0.50 oz/ft2)
Superior Huntingdon Composite's glass fiber reinforced gypsum used in airport structures
Superior Huntingdon Composite's glass fiber reinforced gypsum process

Continuous Lamination

Continuous Lamination is an automated process where continuous filament veil is used in combination with chopped roving to produce continuous laminated panels. These panels are cured and cut to desired lengths.

Features & Benefits:

  • Enhances surface characteristics
  • Adds strength to thin panels
  • Improves transparency
  • Corrosive environment applications

Product applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • Surmat® (7 mil – 20 mil)
Superior Huntingdon Composite's continuous lamination process
Superior Huntingdon Composite's continuous lamination process

SRIM / Polyurethane

SRIM is a continuous filament reinforcement placed into an open mold. Thermosetting urethane resin is then mixed/injected at high pressure into the closed mold.

Features & Benefits:

  • Increased strength with continuous strand filament
  • Lighter weights offer cost reduction
  • Loft of material better fills die cavity to eliminate multiple layers

Products applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • CFM M8610
  • Surmat® 200 (7 mil – 30 mil)
  • Conformat N751, N863
urethane process
Superior Huntingdon Composite's urethane process used in automobiles
Superior Huntingdon Composite's urethane process used in a product

Filament Winding

Filament Winding is an automated process where a rotating mandrel is initially wound with a continuous filament veil to provide a corrosion-resistant inner liner. The mandrel is then wrapped with roving and is often covered with a second layer of veil on the exterior to provide a resin-rich surface.

Features & Benefits:

  • Better corrosion resistance in acidic environments
  • Improved weatherability for exterior surface

Product applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • Surmat® 100SF (7 mil – 30 mil)
filament winding process
Superior Huntingdon Composite's filament winding process product

Converters & Engineered Fabric Applications

Our reinforcement products can be combined with various engineered fabrics by means of mechanical bonding. This creates an advanced, preassembled input for your particular fiber reinforced process.

Features & Benefits:

  • Provides an ideal surface appearance
  • Enhanced resin flow media
  • Omni-directional strengthening
  • Reduced risk of shearing
  • Maintains mat-wash resistance

Products applicable to this market:

Superior Huntingdon Composites

  • CFM (Entire product line)
  • Surmat®
  • Conformat®
converters and engineered fabric
converters and engineered fabric

Custom Processes

The composites industry is comprised of a broad range of manufacturers utilizing unique processes or variations of standard processes. Superior Huntingdon Composites is distinctly different from most other glass suppliers in the composites industry in that we have the ability to economically engineer our products towards an individual customer’s manufacturing requirements. The objective with our materials is to help customers improve efficiency, save on cost, and enhance quality.

We anxiously await to hear your customization needs and are ready to partner with you to solve your problems.