CK Composites, Inc.

C-K’s trade name for this material is Insulam™. This unique material combines the dielectric properties and stability of thermosetting phenolic resin with the strength and toughness of wood fibers. The result is essentially wood-reinforced plastic which is a very good dielectric which exhibits excellent mechanical properties. The manufacturing process begins with select European beech (fagus sylvatica) After being cut to size each individual piece of veneer is impregnated with phenolic resin in a vacuum autoclave. Following impregnation, the pieces of veneer are baked in an oven to achieve a “B-stage” (partially cured) condition. The next step is to arrange and to stack the veneers to the desired configuration and thickness. Lamination, densification and complete curing are accomplished simultaneously in specially designed presses.

C-K Composites manufactures cost effective, direct replacements for many styles of porcelain bushings with ratings of up to 46KV. Our in house QA lab can test our bushings to meet the most demanding requirements. The testing includes Hi-Pot to 200KV60Hz., Impulse to 400KV and Partial Discharge Testing. Nearly half a century of experience in engineering composites.

From one-of-a-kind solar shields to Copper lined filament wound fiber glass tubes. From Medical waste to oil and gas connectors, C-K Composites provides engineered manufacturing solutions for custom and specialty applications for all industries. At C-K Composites, the process of custom engineering of components begins with the listening to the customer’s needs, then formulation of epoxy resins, hardeners, accelerators, and fillers to match your product needs with the strength, durability and chemical resistance required.

C-K Composites manufactures a wide variety of tubes for OEM, military, and commercial applications. C-K Composites filament-wound, filament winding products utilize fiberglass roving reinforcements in a specialized epoxy resin matrix. Filament-wound (filament winding) fiberglass tubes and fiberglass tubing provide a very high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent electrical insulation properties and high resistance to corrosion. Special C-K resin formulations and filament winding patterns have been developed to meet applications such as: Cryogenic Medical Composite Tubes that are made from MR compatible resin systems Formulations which are UL listed for Flammability ratings of 94-5VA and 94-V0 Formulations for Potable water Formulations for Medical waste treatment and Highly Corrosive Environments High Pressure applications such as Oil Circuit Breaker Interrupter tubes Ultraviolet resistant formulations for outdoor use Low Impact Resistant FAA approach Masts Reinforcement materials Variations in reinforcement materials and resins can be used during the filament winding process. C-K Composites has produced tubes using E Glass, S-Glass, Kevlar and carbon fiber as reinforcement material. Filament Winding Design Capability State of the art filament winding software which calculates Fiber placement and wind angle depending on design requirements. (A steep wind angle (hoop) provides radial strength. A shallow wind angle (helix) provides axial strength and stiffness.) FEA analysis is available upon request. State-of-the-art computerized filament winding equipment Using our state-of-the-art computerized filament winding machines, fiber placement tolerances are maintained in accordance with design requirements. Filament wound tubes to 40 feet (12 meters) in length and 9 feet (2.75 meters) in diameter can be wound. State-of-the-art computer controlled winding permit the winding of complex patterns and enable quick changeover from one item to another. Machining Capability The machine shop is well equipped with 5 axis CNC router and CNC Lathes capable of machining up to 32 inch diameter. This is in addition to a wide variety of manual mills and lathes to 64 inch diameter. This equipment is setup especially for fiberglass. C-K routinely machines to required tolerances, finishes and tests in accordance with required specifications.

The majority of cast and molded epoxy components are for electrical applications. C-K Composites has several proprietary formulations of epoxy resins, hardeners, accelerators and fillers. Metal conductors and other metal inserts are included as an integral part of the casting. Flanges, holes and “other-than-round” cross sections can be molded. Therefore, a properly designed single epoxy casting or molding can often replace an assembly of parts of other materials such as porcelain, high-pressure laminates, tapes and metals. Design assistance Using computerized electrical field analysis, our engineers will work with you to design your component, the mold, conductors, or other inserts to meet your performance requirements. C-K offers design assistance to customers covering not only part design but mold design as well. Since many technical issues in part and mold design are interrelated. The most common approach is for C-K to design and purchase the mold on the customer’s behalf, with C-K being responsible for the mold producing the specified part. Bis-a, and Cycloaliphatic systems available C-K’s cycloaliphatic resin systems produce insulators which are nontracking, self-scouring and nonweathering for out door applications. C-K’s Bisphenol resin systems produce extremely high strength insulators. Vacuum Casting Many cast and molded epoxy parts are poured and processed in a vacuum to minimize voids and assure a strong bond between epoxy and metal. C-K has extensive equipment for performing vacuum casting, including large capacity vacuum pumps and vacuum chambers. Finished parts are oven cured to achieve specified mechanical properties. Final operations include careful cleaning, inspection, and testing. APG-Liquid Injection Molding In addition to conventional and vacuum casting, C-K has the equipment and capability to perform epoxy automatic pressure gelation (APG). This process used heat and pressure, to achieve rapid cure time and productivity. C-K has produced tens of thousands of bushings, spouts, and insulators using APG which is best suited for parts with a high production volume. C-K has several large-capacity molding machines for perfuming APG. Re-Engineering Projects C-K can assist in your effort to replace bushings and porcelains that are no longer manufactured. C-K has the ability to reverse engineer, replicate and replace your original insulators, design and tested thru 46kV class. Technical Data: Bushing Selection Guide Cast & Molded Epoxy Data Electrical Standoff Insulator