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Polygon was the first commercial pultruder in North America and we continue to develop this process. Today, we not only work with traditional thermoset materials but also thermoplastic materials in what we have trade named CFT™ (continuous fiber thermoplastics). We work with thermoset materials such as polyester, vinyl ester and epoxy or thermoplastic materials such as polypropylene, nylon and PBT. Our fiber offerings include e-glass, s-glass, polyester, carbon, Kevlar® and hybrids of all. Our engineering team can design not only the type of continuous process that your application might require, but also the raw materials to formulate the best overall product.

Polygon Company's CFT® Division represents commercially available technology that allows various thermoplastic resins to be delivered within high volume continuous fiber architectures to extruded profiles. Application areas for complex extruded profiles focus on two primary areas: first, applications for replacing extruded thermoplastic materials that cannot meet structural or other mechanical requirements. Second, ideal applications for CFT materials are applications where metallic extrusions are not ideal due to corrosion, weight, or durability.

Continuous Fiber Thermoplastics are the first ever production capable material using continuous, non-broken filaments in a thermoplastic resin matrix at high fiber volumes (55-60% Fv). These materials can be used in high-pressure flat sheet molding applications, or in hybridized process combining pultrusion and extrusion. Pultrusion is similar to extrusion with the exception that pultrusion affords the use of high volumes of continuous filaments. Because of these high fiber volumes, the profile must be "pulled" through the process. The hybridized CFT® process generates both symmetrical and non-symmetrical shapes that have constant geometries along the length of the profile. The CFT® process introduces thermoplastic resins into the cross-section of the profile, resulting in a profile that has excellent mechanical properties such that the finished CFT® profile can compete with many metallic extrusions.

Unlike either short or long filled thermoplastic resins, CFT® materials have 100% of their fibers continually connected throughout the axial direction of any profile. This means that CFT® materials have no break in the fiber architecture. As a result, they can fully optimize the design advantages of a traditional composite material with the processing and product advantages of thermoplastic extrusions.

Polygon Company is literally "off the chart" when it comes to the POLYSTRUCTURE process. We can target, engineer, design, manufacture, test and fabricate any custom product your application might require. You will be creating your own set of variables and performance criteria. Polygon's team is a group of seasoned composite fiber engineers.

Post-Forming With a thermoplastic matrix post-forming maintains its high strength properties. Limitations have to do with two factors: first, the amount of fiber (up to 55% by volume) and second, the orientation of the fibers. The fiber volume percentages of CFT material are very high. When post-forming a CFT material the fibers must be provided room for displacement.

Tri & Quad Pultrusion Add a high gloss finish, different colors, discrete bond lines or soft-touch materials to specific in-line over-extrusion profiles. Polygon's technology is also capable of in-line printing and texturing. The potential to eliminate secondary operations and improve product cosmetics are unparalleled with CFT technology.

inSERT Technology

Localize high modulus materials within simple or complex extruded shapes, allowing for true design flexibility by inserting CFT materials only where needed within the profile geometry.

Complex Extruded Profiles

Application areas for complex extruded profiles focus on two primary areas: first, applications for replacing extruded thermoplastic materials that cannot meet structural or other mechanical requirements. Second, ideal applications for CFT materials are applications where metallic extrusions are not ideal due to corrosion, weight, or durability.

When designing with CFT materials for the fenestration community, two options present themselves with respect to product design. The first option is a pure CFT profile resulting in a 100% CFT material across the entire cross-sectional area. The second option is perhaps the most potent design approach - a CFT stiffened application. This approach in-situ integrates a CFT material, whether in the form of a rod, angle or flat into a lower strength and typically lower cost thermoplastic. The result is a profile that has high strength continuous fibers oriented only where needed throughout the profile.

As an example, in a rectangular profile measuring 2" x 4" x 0.160" where stiffness and cost reduction of the profile is of primary concern, four 0.070" diameter CFT rod reinforcements can be placed in each corner of the PVC extrusion. While maintaining the same 0.160" wall thickness, the CFT reinforcements will increase the stiffness of the profile by 30-45% with minimal increase in cost. With this increase in performance, it is then possible to look at decreasing the wall thickness of the PVC wall to evaluate cost savings. While maintaining the same stiffness of the original PVC extrusion, the CFT stiffeners can reduce the amount of PVC used. In the rectangular profile, PVC usage can be creased over 35% while maintaining the same part stiffness.

Material Handling Rollers

Conventional material handling systems have used metal or aluminum rollers as the transportation medium in large material handling and packaging systems. These metallic rollers are less than desirable solutions as they are heavy, can be prone to corrosion in food processing or various packaging environments, loud, and energy inefficient. The other material of choice has typically been an extruded thermoplastic, which simply does not have the strength requirements for the repeated stress and strain of a material handling system. Polygon's line of material handling rollers, PolyRoll, offer significant performance enhancements over either metallic or engineered thermoplastic materials.

For the material handling market, increasing noise abatement issues driven from new OSHA regulations have mandated that alternative materials be evaluated which can eliminate metal on metal contact. In addition, the CFT material has a co-extruded thermoplastic polyurethane cover, which significantly improves durability and has inherent abrasion resistance. Overall, the energy required to drive the roller system also decreases due to the fact that the CFT rollers have much lower moments of inertia than conventional metals.

Material Comparisons

CFT® materials combine the best of engineered thermoplastics with the design stability of metallic materials. The typical material and processing capabilities innate in plastic extrusion is combined with the superb mechanical and physical properties only fiber reinforced pultrusions have been able to attain.

• Post-formable
• Impact resistance
• Toughness/durability
• Secondary attachment capacity
• Joining capability
• Recyclable
• Light weight
• Corrosion resistance
• Good insulating qualities