SKZ Podcast with Technoform
Pultrusion with Potential: How Technoform is rethinking plastics for high-performance applications
Matthias Ruff and Alexander Hefner talk to Dirk Moses, Market Development at Technoform:
When people talk about pultrusion, they often think of traditional fiber composite technologies. But what happens when you combine thermoplastic polymers, continuous fibers, and a healthy dose of innovation? In the SKZ podcast, Dirk Moses, Head of Market Development at Technoform, discusses innovative materials, specialized processing techniques, and the potential that thermoplastic pultrusion holds for OEMs and industrial applications.
Shaping engineering plastics
Technoform processes engineering plastics such as polyamides (PA), PBT, and high-performance polymers like PPS – always with a focus on functionality and sustainability. By strategically reinforcing these plastics with glass or carbon fibers, high-strength, load-bearing profiles are created that can replace conventional materials like aluminum.
What makes the approach unique is the combination of material and process. Using a proprietary extrusion process with optimized screw systems, Technoform is able to process highly filled compounds with fiber content up to 65% – achieving surface finishes comparable to injection molding.
Thermoplastic pultrusion: A process in transition
With thermoplastic pultrusion, Technoform is breaking new ground.
Instead of using thermoset resins, the process relies on meltable, single-origin thermoplastics. The key innovation: continuous fibers are directly impregnated with the plastic matrix, shaped, and cooled. The resulting semi-finished products can then be further processed via injection molding or compression molding – as fully thermoplastic reinforcement elements.
This in-house developed technology enables the production of profiles that can replace UD tapes or laminates. The benefits: high strength, good processability, and – most importantly – recyclability. Since no polymer blends are used, the material can be mechanically shredded and reused after its initial use.
Application Examples: From Power Plants to Roller Coasters
Technoform profile components are used across a wide range of industries. Whether as corrosion-resistant elements in power plant degassing systems or as impact-resistant components in high-voltage battery housings – the profiles meet requirements for temperature, electrical, or radiation resistance. One highlight: the cladding of the world’s largest observation wheel in Dubai includes Technoform profiles.
Recycled Content and CO₂ Footprint: Sustainability as a Principle
Alongside technical performance, resource conservation is at the core. The thermoplastics used are recyclable, and for many applications, recycled materials have already been tested and successfully implemented. In addition, Technoform is developing its own PCF (Product Carbon Footprint) calculator, which will allow the CO₂ footprint of each product to be determined and optimized.
Material recovery is also part of the strategy: customers are actively involved in returning production waste to the material cycle.
Modern plastics engineering is far more than mass production
Modern plastics are highly functional, precisely tuned, and can make a valuable contribution to sustainable product concepts. Dirk Moses sums it up perfectly: “The right material, in the right place, in the right shape – that’s our mantra.”
An inspiring example of how engineering, sustainability, and customer orientation can go hand in hand.