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Composites USA’s Custom Accessories

Composites USA has the wide range of custom accessories and product offerings you need to complete any corrosion-resistant system. Choose from pre-piped and instrumented packaged skid systems, control consoles, enclosures, platforms, and more. Composites USA also offers most of the accessories required for a complete system.

Below are examples of our diverse line of product offerings:

Chutes:

Fiberglass chutes may be designed and manufactured to fit any geometry, strength, and corrosion requirements. Typical applications are for either adding or removing solids, pastes or sludges from process vessels. Chutes have been used for adding metal grain to acid-dissolving vessels in refining operations and for discharging filter cake from wastewater treatment sludge dewatering operations, to name, but two uses requiring strength and chemical corrosion resistance.

Fiberglass chutes may be used simply for ease in material handling. With a strength-to-weight ratio several times that of steel, fiberglass chutes are used in a number of industries due to their ease of set up and break down for storage and cleaning.

Typical Specifications:

Chutes shall be designed for the loads imposed with a maximum deflection of ½% of the span. A staff mechanical engineer experienced in fiberglass structural design will support the design with engineering calculations. The construction materials must meet the corrosion requirements.

Design & Construction:

• All one-piece molded construction
• Corrosion resistant – Suitable for the application at the design temperature
• Self-supporting with local reinforcement as required
• All cut edges are to be resin-sealed
• Molded in color, white or gray standard, custom match available
• Temperature resistance to 170oF unless otherwise specified

Clevis Hangers:

Composites USA manufactures pipe hangers for your most demanding corrosion environments. Clevis hangers, in sizes ranging from 2″ through 24″ diameter (nominal, for IPS outside diameters) are designed and manufactured for rugged industrial use in corrosive environments, such as the 10″ diameter example on this page.

Composites USA clevis hangers solve the problem of supporting your corrosion-resistant duct or pipe in corrosive atmospheres. The resin and corrosion barrier can be tailored to provide protection from acidic and oxidizing exposures. The hangers are non-conductive and can be formulated to provide fire retardancy.

Cost-effective applications include areas where maintenance or repair is expensive and difficult or highly corrosive areas where the life cycle cost of fiberglass is lower than that of competing materials.

All major components are designed for the anticipated loads, using a minimum factor of safety of 3:1. Testing has shown that the ultimate load is well beyond the design load. For example, 3″ diameter hangers, designed for 200 lb. loads, showed initial delamination at 850 lb., while the ultimate load was 1800 lb. after considerable deformation. Please contact our engineering department for additional details.

Typical Specifications:

Covers

Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Equipment Covers:

Composites USA equipment covers are designed and manufactured for rugged industrial use where contact with aggressive chemicals might be a concern. Although designed for industrial environments, these panels also receive the same fit, finish, and attention to detail as our electronic housings for radar and instruments.

Our composite structural engineers rigorously check each panel design to verify loadings and anticipated deflections. All reinforcement glass is precision hand cut (i.e., no chopper gun allowed) and laid onto the mold, thus carefully controlling the part thickness and strength characteristics.

The laminate begins with a resin-rich corrosion barrier, reinforced with a fiberglass or polyester veil and several randomly chopped strand mat layers. The structural portion of the laminate is constructed with alternating layers of random chopped strand mat and continuous strand biaxial woven roving. These alternating layers are gradually built up to the final required thickness.

The top exterior layer is usually applied with a resin pigmented to the customer’s preferred color choice for long-term color stability, which will not chip or flake off. In this way, the color is molded in, part thickness and reinforcement uniformity is carefully controlled, and problems with typical trouble spots, such as voids and inside corners, are avoided. When requested, a grit surface is applied to increase safety for personnel access.

With a Composites USA cover, you get quality to audited MIL-I-45208 standards and design to U.S. Bureau of Commerce Voluntary Guideline PS-15-69, ASTM, and ASME Guidelines, as applicable. All resins used are premium-grade corrosion-resistant and flame-retardant vinyl ester as standard (Class 1 flame spread to ASTM E-84).

Specifications:

Enclosures:

Composites USA enclosures are designed and manufactured for rugged industrial use where part weight and contact with corrosive chemicals or seawater might be a concern. Although designed for industrial environments, these enclosures also receive the same fit, finish, and attention to detail as our electronic housings for radar and instruments.

This page shows several styles of enclosures, including the three-sided instrument enclosure above and the process tank with integral equipment enclosure below. This part was used to temporarily enclose gas chromatographs in an oil refinery. Other enclosures might typically protect remote pump stations from unwanted tampering or personnel from rotating machinery parts.

Each enclosure design is rigorously checked by our composite structural engineers for wind, snow and operating loads.

The laminate begins with a resin-rich corrosion barrier reinforced with a fiberglass or synthetic veil and several layers of randomly chopped strand mats. The structural portion of the laminate is constructed with random chopped strand mat and continuous strand glass, biaxial, unidirectional, or otherwise oriented to meet the design considerations. These layers are gradually built up to the final required thickness, sometimes incorporating structural cores on large flat panels to increase stiffness and strength.

The top exterior layer is usually applied with a resin pigmented to the customer’s preferred color choice for long-term color stability that will not chip or flake off. In this way, the color is molded in, part thickness and reinforcement uniformity are carefully controlled, and problems with typical trouble spots, such as voids and inside corners, are avoided. Non-skid grit surfaces are available for increased personnel safety.

With a Composites USA enclosure, you get a cover designed to the latest codes and quality audited to MIL-I-45208 and Factory Mutual standards. All resins used are corrosion-resistant polyester or vinyl ester, with flame retardant options available.

Typical Specifications:

Flumes

Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Flumes:

Composites USA flumes are one-piece molded units designed for metering liquids in open channels. The unbroken flow lines present no obstructions that would cause debris to build up. The unbroken lines also create low head loss characteristics, which make the flume ideal for measurements under gravity head requirements.

Each flume design is rigorously checked by our composite structural engineers to verify loadings and anticipated flat plate deflections, if any. All reinforcement glass is precision hand cut (i.e., no chopper gun allowed) and laid on the mold for gradual built-up to the final required thickness with the specified resin. In this way, the color (if requested) is molded in, part thickness and uniformity is carefully controlled, and problems with typical trouble spots, such as inside corners, are avoided.

With a Composites USA flume, you get quality to audited MIL-I-45208 standards and design to U.S. Bureau of Commerce Voluntary Guideline PS-15-69, ASTM, and ASME Guidelines, as applicable. All resins used are corrosion-resistant isophthalic polyester as standard. Premium-grade vinyl ester, epoxy, or furan, as well as flame and smoke-resistant grades, are also available as options.

Typical Specifications:

Design & Construction:

All one-piece molded construction Corrosion-resistant Self-supporting with ribs as required
Undrilled flange ends, all cut edges to be resin sealed. Optional taps for flow measurement, stilling wells & staff gauges Molded in color, white or gray standard, custom match available
Temperature resistance to 170oF

Filters – Liquid & Gas:

Composites USA filters are designed and manufactured for rugged industrial use in corrosive environments. They are also manufactured for liquid or gas service, as shown by the two examples on this page.

The glove box filter assembly allows the discharge of corrosive/ toxic slurries into the filter assembly through the flanged nozzles on the back side of the enclosure. The slurry falls to the filter cloth, held in place on the ribbed bottom bed. A vacuum connection on the bottom of the bed draws the liquid off, leaving the cake. The cake may then be washed using the same or different nozzles or dug off to the integral discharge chute on the left side of the housing using impervious gloves (not shown) mounted on the clear polycarbonate cover.

The housing is built in a single section on a multipart mold, resulting in a smooth, easy-to-maintain surface with no seams. The laminate begins with a resin-rich corrosion barrier, reinforced with a fiberglass or synthetic veil and several layers of randomly chopped strand mats. The structural portion of the laminate is constructed with randomly chopped strand mats and biaxial continuous strand glass.

Composites USA also offers filter housings for air handling systems in several configurations. Shown is a multi-component trayed system with angled shelves, sample ports, access doors, and housing all constructed of corrosion-resistant fiberglass.

With a Composites USA filter housing, you get a cover designed to the latest codes and quality audited to MIL-I-45208 and Factory Mutual standards. All resins used are corrosion-resistant polyester or vinyl ester, with flame-retardant options available.

Typical Specifications:

Platforms:

Fiberglass platforms may be designed and manufactured to fit any number of geometry, strength, and corrosion requirements. The reactor platform in the picture was specially designed to ship in three sections: the ladder, the lower 72″ of platform framing, and the upper 36″. This allowed all sections to be moved by forklift through doors and hallways to their final assembly point. Factory pre-fit with all bolt-up connections made this a 4-hour installation in the field, from truck unloading to completion.

Fiberglass composite’s outstanding corrosion resistance, lightweight, and availability in many common shapes make it a natural solution for many process plant problems. Platforms, grating, and railings are available in flame- and non-flame-retardant versions of polyester and vinyl ester resins. Specialty resins, such as phenolics, are available for installations requiring low smoke generation.

Qualified personnel familiar with composite structural design and OSHA regulations should perform the design of platforms and connection details. Failure mechanisms can be different between steel and fiberglass structures, and these must be taken into account.

Typical Specifications:

Platforms shall meet OSHA requirements and be designed for the loads imposed with a maximum deflection of 1% of the span. Design is to be supported by engineering calculations by a licensed professional engineer experienced in fiberglass structural design. Materials of construction are to be suitable to meet the corrosion requirements.

Design & Construction:

Corrosion resistant – Suitable for the application at the design temperature
Meet OSHA requirements, including requirements for allowable deflection, ladders, cages, and handrail systems. All cut edges are to be resin-sealed

Strainers:

Composites USA strainers are designed and manufactured for rugged industrial use in corrosive environments. Basket and wye strainers are manufactured for liquid or gas service, as shown by the 8″ diameter (pipeline) basket strainer example on this page.

The basket strainer assembly allows in-line particulate matter filtering and straining from process liquids. The flanged top assembly allows removal and thorough cleaning of filter media during regularly scheduled maintenance outages. The removable basket/ filter media is typically a thermoplastic or high nickel alloy such as Monel or Hastelloy. A low-point drain connection permits periodic flushing without disassembly.

The strainer laminate begins with a resin-rich corrosion barrier reinforced with a fiberglass or synthetic veil and several layers of random chopped strand mat. The structural portion of the laminate is constructed with random chopped strand mat and biaxial continuous strand glass. The resin selected may be matched to the process piping, but typically, high-performance vinyl esters are chosen for this service.

With a Composites USA strainer, you get equipment designed to the latest codes and quality audited to MIL-I-45208 and Factory Mutual standards. All resins used are corrosion resistant and specifically selected for the service: polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, or furan, with flame retardant options available.

Typical Specifications:

Mill Spec & Production Parts

Composites USA has been independently audited and approved to MIL-I-45208-A.  We have completed demanding projects for every branch of the military and close tolerance production projects for aerospace, communication, and other high-tech industries.  The nature of composite part fabrication makes it ideally suited to large part or short to medium run production cycles.  Some product examples follow.  Contact Composites USA to explore your options.

Below are examples of our line Mil-Spec and Production Part product offerings

Aircraft Nacelles:

These nacelles were resin transfer molded with mil-spec fiberglass cloth and polyester resin for Lavelle Aircraft. Metal tooling was used to ensure the maintenance of tight tolerances.

Cases:

FRP is commonly used for industrial cases. Its qualities make it a material of choice for this application, including its excellent strength-to-weight ratio, impact and corrosion resistance, and relatively low tooling cost. FRP can also be molded while incorporating inserts, bosses, and color throughout the part, often eliminating some secondary operations.

The instrument case shown at the right is one of more than 100 specialty cases produced for Pringle Electric Co. The cases were manufactured from Class 1 fire retardant polyester resin and fiberglass. All attachment hardware is stainless steel.

Cases may be manufactured in various configurations to fit any number of needs. Two examples are shown left and below. The Mil-Spec battery case on the left incorporates extra-heavy wall sections and bosses in a resin transfer-molded housing to meet the required mechanical loads. The wire shown is for an integrally molded heater cable. The case below incorporates custom geometry to meet its performance needs.

Mass Transit Components:

FRP is commonly used in mass transit part manufacturing due to its excellent strength
to weight ratio, impact, and corrosion resistance, relatively low tooling cost, and ability to be molded into complex shapes with color throughout the part, often eliminating secondary operations such as painting.

The 6’-0″ long protective shield shown at the right for the third rail pick-up (power rail) on a high-speed car is one of more than 1500 produced via Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) for the Chicago Transit Authority. The parts were produced from a single lightweight tool. Resin Transfer Molding was chosen for the process due to its excellent economics and part-to-part reproducibility.

The air handling system damper blades shown at the left were also resin transfer molded, this time for a rail car system sold to Westcode/ Kawasaki for use in China. The resin is a low flame/ low smoke polyester with color molded in. The blade shafts are stainless steel and are integrally molded with the blade itself, eliminating secondary operations. Using RTM resulted in economic processing for the over 1000 pieces required and a mold finish on both sides of the part, allowing maintenance of tight tolerances and damper seal properties.

Mine Sweeping Floats:

These mine sweeping floats were contact molded with mil-spec fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin for Deval for resale to the U.S. military. Metal inserts were integrally bonded to the assembly, minimizing customer secondary assembly labor.

Random Mounting Brackets:

These radome mounting brackets were manufactured for R.C.A. using resin transfer molding (RTM) with polyester and fiberglass. Fiber loading is 65% at 0.375″ thick, suitable for high physical loadings. The holes shown were to accommodate cable mounting hardware supplied and installed by Composites USA.

FRP is commonly used in these applications for its high strength, low weight, and good dielectric properties.

Radio Tower Covers:

These radio tower covers were manufactured for RCA. FRP is commonly used in these applications for its high strength, low weight, and good dielectric properties. These covers were mounted on an 80-foot-tall tower subjected to 200 mph wind loads.

Radomes / Glass / Kevlar / Epoxy / Vinyl Ester:

FRP is commonly used in radome manufacturing due to its favorable dielectric properties, excellent strength-to-weight ratio, impact and corrosion resistance, relatively low tooling cost, and ability to be molded into complex shapes.

The 3’-0″ long radome shown at the right are manufactured using vinyl ester resin with Kevlar aramid reinforcement. Divinycil PVC closed cell foam core is also incorporated into the laminate to minimize weight of the part. These radomes are contact molded on machined metal molds to exacting tolerances.

Radomes are manufactured in a wide range of geometries, from long tubes to flat dishes, and almost every shape in between. Some additional examples, contact molded and resin transfer molded (RTM) are shown below. Materials of construction typically include Mil-Spec grades of polyester, vinyl ester or epoxy resins with fiberglass or aramid reinforcement.