Fiberglass offers durability, corrosion resistance, and adaptability. C.F. Maier Composites has the knowledge, skills and experience to assist manufacturers in using fiber reinforced composites to their best advantage.

We have the experience necessary to help develop and produce reinforced composite parts for high stress or high impact uses. We can produce components and products that require corrosion proof materials. Composites are used successfully in products both large and small.

The use of fiber reinforced products and components offers many advantages. The tooling and production costs are normally less than other processes, and the end product offers many benefits that products made from other materials cannot provide.

To produce fiber reinforced products a liquid material, usually polyester resin, is combined with glass fibers. A chemical reaction started in the resin causes a hardening to form a strong, yet light final part. The resin serves as the substrate and the fibers work as the reinforcement.

In order to fabricate a product, an open mold is made from wood, sheet metal, reinforced plastics, or other materials. Then a gel coat is applied to cover the mold’s surface. The reinforcement and resin are then placed in or on the mold by using either the Hand Lay-up or Spray-up process.

Layers of the resin and reinforced material are added to build up the product to its design thickness. The material usually cures at room temperature and the finished product provides one smooth and one rough side.

The use of fiber reinforced products has grown considerably. Today some of these products include: bathroom tub and shower units, vehicle components, boats, truck roofs and housings, tanks and tank linings, large moldings, ducts, guards, pools, prototype and production molds, furniture, and any equipment subject to environmental corrosion.

The widespread use of fiber reinforced products has evolved because there are virtually no size restrictions in the process, there is a vast amount of design flexibility, and design changes are normally simple to make.

In producing fiber reinforced products, a large portion of the manufacturing cost is a result of the operation performed after part molding. These include trimming, finishing, joining components, attaching hardware, etc.

In many cases these costs can be reduced considerable by having the proper mold design. Knowledgeable designers can create molds that can make the after-mold procedures more efficient and less costly.

Practical and creative mold design allows for the inclusion of desirable styling and production features. A good mold design will enhance the visual appeal of the product and also allow for a more efficient manufacturing process. Many features that can be included in the design process for fiber reinforced products may be impossible to incorporate with other processes and materials.