About Exel Composites Exel Composites is one of the largest manufacturers of pultru- ded and pull-wound composite profiles and tubes and a pult- rusion technology forerunner in the global composite market. Headquartered in Finland, Exel Composites employs over 600 forward-thinking professionals around the world and is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. To find out more about our offering and company please visit www.exelcomposites.com. [4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785423018483 [5] https://www.atlasfibre.com/understanding-flexural-strength-guide-to- flexural-strength-in-materials/ [6]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307587235_A_comparative_ Life_Cycle_Assessment_of_utility_poles_manufactured_with_ different_materials_and_dimensions [7] https://generalstructuresinc.com/blog/which-light-pole-material-is-best- for-your-project/ [8] https://woodpoles.org/portals/2/documents/TB_ServiceLife.pdf [9]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307587235_A_comparative_ Life_Cycle_Assessment_of_utility_poles_manufactured_with_ different_materials_and_dimensions [1] https://easystreetsystems.com/applications [2] https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-kingdom- telecom-market/market-size [3] https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-kingdom- telecom-market/market-size Moreover, the use of composite poles eliminates the need for toxic preservatives normally associated with wooden poles, as well as dou- bling the lifespan of these telecommunications poles to 70 years [7], compared to the assumed 30–40-year lifespan [8] of wooden poles. This, along with the local manufacture and lightweight nature of the poles, contributes to an overall carbon footprint reduction [9], while the continuous manufacture of the poles enhances material usage and minimizes waste. Glass fiber composites are also compliant, the material is accredited by the National Electric Safety Code (NESC 2012) as being as reliable as steel equivalents. The material has also been recognized for its grid resilience in extreme weather, its high dielectric strength and 80 per cent lighter than steel and two hundred per cent stronger than wood. — As a result of this collaboration, we can produce poles much quicker than before, as well as save money due to the price differ- ence between glass fiber and carbon fiber, added Pete Chase, CEO at EasyStreet Systems. insights into the structural behaviors of the poles and informed design refinements to augment performance. By making the wall thinner and improving material usage through pull-winding, Exel Composites achieved the same wind-deflection tar- gets as the original carbon fiber tubes with less material used compared to traditional pultruded glass fiber poles, further reducing the overall weight to be closer to that of a similar carbon fiber tube. Additionally, as pull-winding is a continuous process, it allowed for the efficient production of large volumes enabling Exel Composites to meet the demand of EasyStreet Systems while maintaining consistent quality. Saving time, costs, and resources The collaboration has resulted in significant benefits for EasyStreet Systems’ utility infrastructure projects. Exel Composites’ establishment of an ISO9001:2015 compliant manufacturing facility in the USA has bolstered EasyStreet Systems’ production capacity, resulting in shorter lead times, and improved operational efficiency.
ards required rigorous testing and certification processes to adhere to industry regulations effectively in a single product, rather than produc- ing different tubes with different properties dependent on the region. Another of the technical challenges faced was addressing wind deflection and stability in the utility poles, crucial factors for their performance, especially in high wind-speed environments. Traditional filament winding techniques resulting in transverse fiber orientations, leading to pole deflection under high wind loads whereas pull-wind- ing makes it possible to place and align fibers in axial directions due to the thin transverse layers leaving room for the axial fibers. This enhances the pole’s rigidity, reducing wind deflection. Extensive simulations were conducted to assess the wind deflec- tion characteristics of the poles under various conditions. These sim- ulations, using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tests, provided valuable
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