Glasforms’ CRTM™ (Continuous Resin Transfer Molding)
For the production of high quality, high volume, sandwich laminates for use as marine bulkheads and decks, truck and trailer walls and floors, and more.
High Strength/Stiffness to Weight
24" x 108" Profile Envelope
Modular tooling
Balsa, Foam and Laminated Wood Cores
Polyester, Vinyl Ester, Epoxy and Custom Formulas
Custom Engineered Reinforcements of Glass, Carbon, & Hybrids
CNC Secondary Fabrication
Fabric & Core Infeed
Pultrusion is a process by which fiber reinforcements are impregnated with resin and drawn through a die to produce a finished constant cross-section part of variable length. The resin can be applied to the fiber before the die (commonly used for low-cost industrial products) or it can be injected directly into the die for better control of fiber alignment and resin kinetics. The CRTM™ (Continuous Resin Transfer Molding) process is an advanced version of the latter technique, and is used by Glasforms to produce advanced engineered products. The CRTM™ process was developed for the production of high performance, constant cross-section composite structures that offer superior quality and are more cost efficient than current hand lay-up processes. Glasforms engineers solutions that optimize part count, weight, strength, and durability by partnering with our customers during the design process. This provides our customers with a superior value through a balance of cost and performance.
CRTM™ Production Line
Sandwich panels manufactured with the CRTM™ automated pultrusion process are cost effective, lightweight, structural quality composite panels suitable for a wide variety of applications. Consistent product quality is assured by using computer controlled programmable logic circuits. Unlike typical wet bath pultrusion processes, Glasforms’ injection pultrusion process effectively minimizes volatile organic compound (V.O.C.) emissions and produces a part using lowest cost basic materials with an uniform thickness, consistent mechanical properties, and highly repeatable quality.
CNC Machining Center
Glasforms has the capability to fabricate high quality composite sandwich panels with tailored multi-axial fiber reinforcements, high fiber volume contents, and very low void content. These custom-engineered products are available with a wide variety of core materials including end-grain balsa, foam, or engineered woods (i.e. plywood). Laminate skin face sheets are also available with continuous fiberglass and/or carbon fiber reinforced polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy or custom resins. Glasforms also has the engineering and production expertise to design, fabricate, and assemble a custom product that fits your specific application with CNC routing and drilling machining capabilities.
How CRTM™ Makes a Difference
The Kenworth T2000 cab floor is a structural, monocoque, composite sandwich floor fabricated with a select grade balsa core and continuous fiberglass reinforced vinyl ester resin skins. The single-piece composite floor replaces the more costly multi-piece (over 100 pieces) metal floor assembly and provides a rigid assembly platform for the cab and sleeper sidewalls. This 2¼" thick constant cross section, single piece floor allows Kenworth to offer their customers improved thermal insulation, acoustic and vibration dampening, and damage resistant properties while reducing Kenworth’s assembly time and the cab’s weight.
CRTM™ Applications
CRTM™ panel applications span a wide variety of industries. Naval architects and boat builders find the lack of water absorption, minimal weight, and durability of Glasforms’ CRTM™ panels ideal for marine applications such as structural bulkheads, transoms, decks/soles, and interior walls. Large truck, trailer, RV, coach, and mass transit vehicles implement CRTM™ panels for walls, floors, and structural bulkheads for weight savings as well as overall reduction in total number of components and secondary fabrication. CRTM™ panels will not rot or corrode thus weight reduction and increased insulation allow CRTM™ panels to be used as a replacement for traditional steel and plywood building materials, as well as many others.
Figure 1 shows the CRTM™ process. It starts with dry reinforcements that are continuously pulled from the creel system into the die through the fiber/fabric preforming guides that align the material into a near net shape. Before the preform reaches the resin injection region, it is compacted closer to the final profile dimensions in the initial portion of the die. In the injection region, resin under a steady pressure is injected into the preform through multiple injection ports to maintain the required flow rate. Then, the partially impregnated preform is pulled through the wet-out/tapered region where it is thoroughly impregnated through a multi-dimensional resin flow. Next, the preform is drawn into the die’s cure region where the temperature profile is controlled in multiple heat zones. The optimization of the temperature profile is necessary to assure proper consolidation while maximizing the degree of conversion. After exiting the die, the warm product cools at ambient conditions before it reaches the puller shuttles. Process speed variations must be properly combined with the injection pressure and the thermal profiles in the die in order to attain both superior product quality and economic throughput rates. At the end of the process line, the product is cut to length with the use of a synchronized flying cut-off saw.
Typical Room Temperature Properties
(Preliminary Information--Not for Design)
Pultrusion is a process by which fiber reinforcements are impregnated with resin and drawn through a die to produce a finished constant cross-section part of variable length. The resin can be applied to the fiber before the die (commonly used for low-cost industrial products) or it can be injected directly into the die for better control of fiber alignment and resin kinetics. The CRTM™ (Continuous Resin Transfer Molding) process is an advanced version of the latter technique, and is used by Glasforms to produce advanced engineered products. The CRTM™ process was developed for the production of high performance, constant cross-section composite structures that offer superior quality and are more cost efficient than current hand lay-up processes. Glasforms engineers solutions that optimize part count, weight, strength, and durability by partnering with our customers during the design process. This provides our customers with a superior value through a balance of cost and performance.
Sandwich panels manufactured with the CRTM™ automated pultrusion process are cost effective, lightweight, structural quality composite panels suitable for a wide variety of applications. Consistent product quality is assured by using computer controlled programmable logic circuits. Unlike typical wet bath pultrusion processes, Glasforms’ injection pultrusion process effectively minimizes volatile organic compound (V.O.C.) emissions and produces a part using lowest cost basic materials with an uniform thickness, consistent mechanical properties, and highly repeatable quality.
Glasforms has the capability to fabricate high quality composite sandwich panels with tailored multi-axial fiber reinforcements, high fiber volume contents, and very low void content. These custom-engineered products are available with a wide variety of core materials including end-grain balsa, foam, or engineered woods (i.e. plywood). Laminate skin face sheets are also available with continuous fiberglass and/or carbon fiber reinforced polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy or custom resins. Glasforms also has the engineering and production expertise to design, fabricate, and assemble a custom product that fits your specific application with CNC routing and drilling machining capabilities. 
The Kenworth T2000 cab floor is a structural, monocoque, composite sandwich floor fabricated with a select grade balsa core and continuous fiberglass reinforced vinyl ester resin skins. The single-piece composite floor replaces the more costly multi-piece (over 100 pieces) metal floor assembly and provides a rigid assembly platform for the cab and sleeper sidewalls. This 2¼" thick constant cross section, single piece floor allows Kenworth to offer their customers improved thermal insulation, acoustic and vibration dampening, and damage resistant properties while reducing Kenworth’s assembly time and the cab’s weight.
CRTM™ panel applications span a wide variety of industries. Naval architects and boat builders find the lack of water absorption, minimal weight, and durability of Glasforms’ CRTM™ panels ideal for marine applications such as structural bulkheads, transoms, decks/soles, and interior walls. Large truck, trailer, RV, coach, and mass transit vehicles implement CRTM™ panels for walls, floors, and structural bulkheads for weight savings as well as overall reduction in total number of components and secondary fabrication. CRTM™ panels will not rot or corrode thus weight reduction and increased insulation allow CRTM™ panels to be used as a replacement for traditional steel and plywood building materials, as well as many others.
