Exel Composites releases guide for design considerations in composite tubes
The composite tubes white paper explores some of the considerations for specifying composite tubes, such as mechanical properties, maintenance requirements and more.
Photo credit: Exel Composites
Exel Composites (Vantaa, Finland) has created a guide, to design considerations for composite tubes, sharing details about the requirements for composite tubes in applications such as camera tripods, window cleaning equipment, IMR equipment, medical applications, sporting equipment, telescopic poles and camouflage support poles. The white paper, “,” also outlines how pultrusion and pull-winding can be used to create cost-effective profiles that meet, and often exceed, requirements in terms of mechanical properties.
“When it comes to industrial tube and pole applications, stiffness and strength requirements have generally favored the use of metals because of their familiarity, good mechanical properties and relatively low price,” says Lauri Turunen, product business owner for tubes and telescoping poles at Exel Composites. “However, thanks to the many advantages of composites such as being lightweight, corrosion resistant and more flexible in terms aesthetic possibilities, composite tubes are becoming increasingly popular in different industries.”
“Just as with the range of metal alloys historically available, composites come in different types, such as fiberglass and carbon fiber, and can be manufactured in numerous ways, using pultrusion, filament winding or pull-winding,” Turunen continues. “However, not all composite tubes are designed equal and, when looking to replace a metal tube with a composite one, it is important to select the right tube for the job.”
The white paper explores considerations for specifying composite tubes, such as mechanical properties, maintenance requirements, performance compared with traditional materials including steel and aluminum, aesthetics and price. Topics covered include the role of hybrid composites in thin-wall applications and the best manufacturing technique for producing composite tubes with high hoop strength.
Download the white paper .
Exel Composites has also recently released this white paper about FST requirements for composites.