Long Fiber Injection
Do the benefits of Long Fiber Injection have applications for your market? Let us know.
Long Fiber Injection has proven to have exceptional value in the Agricultural, Construction, Transit and Spa markets.
Long Fiber Injection has 8 distinct benefits.
- Large Format – LFI parts can be produced as large as 11′ x 11′ x 3′ to accommodate projects requiring large parts.
- Part Consolidation – LFI process can help consolidate multiple parts into a single part and reduce assembly.
- Lightweighting – LFI is lighter than metals and most thermoset composite materials and can be used to help reduce weight.
- High Stiffness – LFI has a very high stiffness for applications that need high rigidity.
- Dimensional Stability – LFI will retain it’s shape under extreme conditions to increase its lifetime value.
- Impact Resistance – LFI is extremely durable and can stand up to significant impacts without cracking or breaking.
- Design Freedom – LFI process allows for custom shapes and textures allowing designers near endless possibilities to be creative.
- In-mold Paint – LFI process allows surface finish paint to be applied in-mold, eliminating the post production paint process and reducing costs.
Large Format
Long Fiber Injection is a swift, efficient molding process that can produce parts boasting dimensions up to an astonishing 11’ x 11’ x 3’. This is made possible with our 12’ x 12’ LFI double shuttle press, the largest of its kind in the world.
Additionally, we’ve recently invested and built an LFI rotary shuttle press. The shuttle press, about the size of a hockey rink, consists of 7 separate mold carries that can each produce 8′ x 4.5′ parts.
We are capable of producing large parts for any industry you might need with any specifications or details which you may require.
Is your project a fit for large format parts? Let us know.
Tell Us About Your Project
Part Consolidation
Consolidating smaller parts to a single large part is extremely cost and time efficient. It can save significant money when compared to manufacturing several smaller parts to fulfill the same purpose. Because Long Fiber Injection can produce large format parts, it can help consolidate smaller parts into a single part to reduce costly, post-production assembly. For instance, rather than assembling spa cabinets from a number of smaller panels in a labor-intensive process, LFI makes it possible to produce 7′ & 8′ side panels and corners which require just a few steps for full assembly.
Are you looking to reduce assembly costs by consolidating parts? Let us know.
Tell Us About Your Project
Advantages of Long Fiber Injection
Lightweighting
Long Fiber Injection is capable of producing strong, stiff parts up to 40% lighter than sheet molding compound, 60% lighter than aluminum and a whopping 80% lighter than steel. It combines light, flexible resin, typically thermoset polyurethane, with stiff, similarly lightweight glass fibers which reinforce the finished part by creating an internal “skeleton”. Parts manufactured using LFI retain these weight advantages even when made on a large scale. RomeoRIM’s largest possible LFI part, which measures 11’ x 11’ x 3’, will still be over 50% lighter and significantly more durable than a sheet molding compound or metal part with similar dimensions.
The decrease in weight does not necessitate the sacrifice of any beneficial properties including durability, impact resistance and ability to function at high and low temperatures or during extreme weather. Vehicles and machinery made using LFI-processed parts will show significant improvement in both efficiency and performance when compared with those which rely on traditional heavier materials.
Do you need to reduce the weight of your project? Let us know.
Tell Us About Your Project
High Stiffness
Long Fiber Injection has very high stiffness characteristics due to the 1″ long glass fibers that reinforce the polyester material. Additionally, because of the design freedom that Long Fiber Injection allows, B-side features, such as ribs, can be incorporated into the design of the part for added stiffness, making LFI one of the stiffest composite materials on the market.
Does your project require a high degree of stiffness? Let us know.
Tell Us About Your Project
Dimensional Stability
The material matrix of Long Fiber Injection make it extremely dimensionally stable with a CLTE (Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion) of 25 x 10e-6. The low CLTE, combined with consistent part size and quality results in no warping or sagging. Simply put, even under the harshest conditions, Long Fiber Injection parts retain their size and shape.
Does your project require parts where size and shape are critical? Let us know.
Tell Us About Your Project
This video demonstrates a 1.36 kg ball dropped from a height of 3m producing 39.98 joules of energy (4 times greater than the UL standard 1563).
This video demonstrates a 1 kg ball dropped from a height of 2.44 m producing 23.9 joules of energy (3.5 times greater than the UL standard 1563).
Impact Resistance
Our signature long fiber injection (LFI) molding process creates parts with an internal structural “skeleton” of reinforcing glass fibers. This creates an extremely tough and durable part which also possesses a high modulus (stiffness). They can reliably last for years and years of heavy, consistent use without needing replacement or major repair. LFI can even be used to produce large parts without sacrificing a single bit of strength or durability.
Parts produced using LFI can withstand high or frequent impacts without warping, denting or breaking. In addition, they will experience minimal to no wear and tear over long periods of constant or extended use. Environmental factors such as strong winds, rapid temperature, pressure and humidity variations, and sustained rain will also be unable to damage our extra-strong, reliable parts. Even our high-quality glossy paints – applied directly in the mold! – will survive over time and through difficult conditions without cracking, chipping or losing any of their eye-catching brilliance.
Does your project require high impact resistant parts? Let us know.
Tell Us About Your Project
Design Freedom
Unlike most composite processes like Sheet Molding Compound and Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics, Long Fiber Injection provides design engineers the freedom to design A and B side features while incorporating custom textures and finishes into the part. This has been exemplified in the Spa market where the standard materials could only achieve a wood-grain texture. The LFI process allowed designers to be creative within a market where design innovation was stagnant.
Tell Us About Your Project
Download the RIM Design Guide
