FRT LAUNCHES NEW UDMAX™ THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE TAPE FEATURING HIGH STRENGTH FOR PIPE AND PRESSURE VESSEL REINFORCEMENT

FRT, a global leader in the chemical industry, is introducing new UDMAX™ GHDPE 40-65 tape XP011, the newest addition to its expanding portfolio of UDMAX unidirectional fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite tape products. Commercially available worldwide, the new glass-filled high-density polyethylene grade is designed for reinforcing industrial applications, such as pipes and pressure vessels, offering unmatched tensile strength. This novel product has one of the highest glass content available in the industry today combined with optimal thermoplastic resin impregnation, thanks to FRT’s proprietary high-pressure fiber impregnation technology (HPFIT™). By using UDMAX tape to reinforce oil, gas and water pipes, boilers and storage tanks, customers can significantly increase mechanical performance while reducing weight and help improve corrosion resistance in the most demanding environments.

“As pipe and pressure vessel manufacturers face rising demand for higher performance, longer life and greater safety, advanced thermoplastic composite technologies from FRT can offer a practical solution for various industrial applications,” said Henny van Dijk, CEO of Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics (FRT). “Our new UDMAX GHDPE 40-65 tape delivers the exceptional strength needed to meet tough industry challenges, and promotes more efficient pipe and pressure vessel designs for transport and installation. This new product also illustrates how FRT continues to invest in technological innovations that give our customers an ever-increasing selection of strong, lightweight thermoplastic composites in place of traditional materials.”

UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE

The UDMAX GPE 40-65 tape offers exceptionally lightweight and high strength and is a replacement for metal and other traditional materials. Featuring FRT’s HPFIT that quickly and precisely enables the spread and combination of thousands of glass or carbon fibers with a thermoplastic matrix, the UDMAX GHDPE 40-65 tape has 65 percent fiber by weight content – one of the highest available today. “

HPFIT also enhances UDMAX tape in several other ways, by offering:

  • Good fiber distribution for uniform performance
  • Twist-free fiber orientation (twisting reduces mechanical properties)
  • A uniform and consistent tape thickness that helps optimize the conversion process and product design

EXPANDED DESIGN FREEDOM

Reinforcing pipes and pressure vessels with UDMAX tape offers designers new options for achieving desired performance. For example, the use of UDMAX GHDPE 40-65 tape can enable pipes to withstand higher loads, while reducing the number of tape layers for less-demanding environments, lowering overall weight for easier transport and installation.