Hybrid injection molding and pultrusion

Pultrusion profiles are known for their excellent mechanical properties, low weight, durability and efficient manufacturing process. At Prince Fibre, we have been producing high-quality fiberglass and carbon fiber profiles for many years for applications where strength, stiffness and reliability are essential.

Yet pultrusion traditionally had one major limitation: design freedom.

The traditional limitations of pultrusion

Conventional pultrusion is ideal for producing straight profiles with a constant cross section. These include bars, tubes, strips, U-profiles and I-profiles. Although these profiles provide excellent structural performance, complex geometries have long been difficult to achieve.

As a result, applications were limited when it came to:

• Complex 3D geometries
• Integrated attachment points
• Local thickening or firming
• Functional links or interfaces
• Products with multiple integrated functions

Often additional machining, gluing or assembly steps were required to make a finished product fully functional.

A new generation of functional composite profiles

In cooperation with Anybrid GmbH Prince Fibre has developed an innovative method to functionalize pultrusion profiles using advanced hybrid injection molding technology.

By combining pultrusion with precise overmoulding techniques, we can now integrate functional plastic parts directly onto our carbon and fiberglass profiles.

Pictured is our standard carbon fiber tube with an outer diameter of 32 mm, fitted with a fully customizable injected part. This hybrid production method opens up new possibilities in terms of product integration, assembly and functional design.

Hybrid injection molding, also known as overmolding, is a manufacturing technique in which a thermoplastic plastic part is injected directly onto a composite structure.

This technology is already widely used within the automotive industry and the thermoplastic composites market, among others. However, the real innovation of this project is in the successful overmoulding of thermoset pultrusion profiles.

Thanks to the expertise of Anybrid GmbH we have demonstrated that this technology is not only suitable for thermoplastic composites, but also has excellent applicability to pultrusion profiles based on thermosetting resins.

The advantages of overmolded pultrusion profiles

The combination of pultrusion and injection molding offers several important advantages:

More Design Freedom: complex functional forms can be integrated directly into the profile without compromising structural performance.

Fewer assembly steps: mounting points, clips, connectors and interfaces can be integrated directly, reducing rework and assembly.

Lightweight structures: the hybrid solution retains all the advantages of composite materials, such as a high strength-to-weight ratio.

More efficient production: combining multiple functions in one component can reduce production time, assembly costs and complexity.

Enhanced product performance: integrated functional elements provide better force transfer and higher operational performance.

New opportunities for various industries: this development opens the door to new applications for pultrusion profiles within a variety of industries, including:

• Automotive and lightweight structures
• Industrial Automation
• Robotics and mechanical engineering
• Mobility and sports applications
• Construction and infrastructure
• Aerospace and interior components

Integrating functional components directly into the composite structure creates more freedom for engineers and product developers.

Innovation through collaboration: at Prince Fibre, we believe in innovation through collaboration and continuous material development. This project with Anybrid GmbH shows how new production technologies are pushing the boundaries of traditional pultrusion.

The future of composite manufacturing is no longer limited to straight profiles with constant geometry. Functional, hybrid composite solutions are the next step in lightweight engineering and integrated product design.

Curious about the possibilities for your application? Contact Prince Fibre and find out what hybrid injection molding can do for your composite project.