Fiberglass Rods

Fiberglass Rods

Rods made of fiberglass are popular alternatives to metal materials because they exhibit a high strength-to-weight ratio, making transportation, installation and handling simple without compromising the rod's strength and durability. Because fiberglass rods exhibit dimensional stability, they are used in a number of different industries, including food processing, sports equipment fabricating and many other examples. Fishing poles, flag poles, duct rods, cable support rods, components of food processing machines, antenna poles and retaining wall pins all can be made of fiberglass. They are often threaded on either side so they can connect to other parts or fasten to attachments like screws. Because fiberglass is so much lighter than metal and alternative plastics, it can be transported easily and at low costs. This factor, combined with the strength and durability of fiberglass, makes it a very popular rod composition material.

Unlike other fiberglass products, which are usually manufactured by a molding process, rods made of fiberglass are produced by a pultrusion process. Every rod contains continuous fiberglass threads in their middle. These are manufactured through extruding molten glass by forcing it through ultra-fine holes. These threads are not cut; instead they are put through a resin bath that coats each thread with a thermoplastic resin mixture. These long coated fibers are then drawn through a heated die that takes the desired shape of the rod, which is usually a round shape. The fiberglass threads and thermoplastic resin remain separate, but they form a composite in the shape of a rod. The newly-formed rod is left to cure and dry, and then it is then cut to length by sawing, drilling or routing. These processes can are often done with a diamond tipped saw or tool bit. Very little secondary processing is done, but the rods can be drilled, painted or threaded.