What Are the Differences Between Polymer Cable Trays and Fiberglass Cable Trays

The development of fiberglass cable trays is early. It uses fiberglass yarn bundles to be soaked in a resin mixture and then enters a high-temperature mold. After solidification in the mold, the mold is pulled out by a reciprocating continuous extrusion unit, and then subjected to fixed length cutting, opening, and other processes to become the finished product of fiberglass cable trays. The product has a beautiful appearance, bright color, stable size, light weight and high strength, convenient installation, and wide application.

The polymer composite cable tray is lined with high-quality cold rolled galvanized steel, and the outer layer is covered with anti-corrosion mixture made of a variety of polymer composite materials. After being heated and solidified in the high-temperature and high-pressure mold Negage, it is made through vacuum water cooling shaping, fixed length cutting, drilling, assembly and other processes. This product developed relatively late and was improved after absorbing the technical advantages of the original material cable tray. This product has a beautiful appearance, bright colors, strong decorative properties, high strength, strong weather resistance, good flame retardant effect, strong corrosion resistance, and can be applied to any environment.

Compared with fiberglass cable trays, polymer composite cable trays mainly have the following differences:

1. Different intensities.

Polymer composite cable trays are lined with steel plates, which have a higher strength than steel trays of the same specification. Moreover, their cross-section is in an "I" shape, which allows them to withstand high lateral loads such as wind pressure, impact, torsion, etc. Its strength is the highest among all cable trays.

Fiberglass cable trays have significant defects in strength. The longitudinal strength (length direction) of fiberglass cable trays comes from fiberglass yarn bundles, which have higher strength. The transverse strength (width direction) comes from the adhesion between the yarn bundles and resin, as well as a thin layer of chopped fiber felt on the surface. There is no yarn bundle (due to process limitations), so the strength is extremely low. This leads to the extremely weak ability of fiberglass cable trays to withstand transverse loads, such as wind pressure, impact, twisting, etc, It is easy to cause damage.

2. Different weather resistance.

The anti-corrosion coating formula for the surface layer of polymer composite cable trays includes anti ultraviolet agents and antioxidants, which can greatly absorb ultraviolet rays from sunlight and protect the anti-corrosion coating material from damage. In addition, the polymer composite cable tray also adopts multiphase co extrusion technology, adding a layer of high weather resistant polymer material ASA to its anti-corrosion layer material, just like putting a layer of armor on the cable tray, making its protective performance even higher. With this super protection, the service life of polymer composite cable trays is conservatively estimated to reach over thirty years under outdoor strong sunlight conditions.

Due to process limitations, fiberglass cable trays cannot add protective layers or weather resistant formulas, which greatly reduces their weather resistance. Generally, after five to eight years of use in outdoor environments, resin decomposition, whitening, cracking, fiber exposure, and even collapse occur. Therefore, its theoretical service life does not exceed ten years.

3. Different flame retardancy.

The anti-corrosion coating material for polymer composite cable trays is made of organic polymer materials with excellent flame retardancy. Its flame retardancy is extremely strong and can reach an oxygen index of over 38% without any treatment. If flame retardant agents are added to the formula, the oxygen index can easily reach over 56%, and the combustion performance can reach the refractory B1-b level.

Fiberglass cable trays, on the other hand, are mainly made of flammable and explosive materials. Even if flame retardant ingredients are added to the formula, their flame retardant performance is poor due to poor substrate. The oxygen index is usually below 28%, and very few research institutions can achieve 32%.

This indicator is fatal, especially in factories and buildings. In the event of a fire, it can cause severe losses, and in severe cases, it can cause significant personal injury or death. Therefore, flame retardant performance is becoming a decisive indicator for cable tray selection!

4. The anti-corrosion performance varies.

The anti-corrosion layer of polymer composite cable tray is composed of multiple polymer materials, which have strong corrosion resistance. The product can withstand the corrosion of various complex corrosive environments such as acid, alkali, salt, ammonia, water, organic solvents, etc. without being damaged, and can adapt to any corrosive environment without selectivity.

Fiberglass cable trays also have strong anti-corrosion performance and can withstand general corrosive environments such as acid, alkali, and salt. However, glass fibers, which account for 70% of their weight, have a chemical composition of SiO2, which is extremely easy to be corroded by fluorine. Therefore, fiberglass cable trays cannot be used in corrosive media containing fluorine, otherwise their lifespan is extremely short.

In summary, fiberglass cable trays developed earlier and currently have a larger production scale. Glass fiber reinforced plastic cable trays can be used in corrosive environments with low load requirements that do not contain fluorine indoors.

Polymer composite cable trays can be applied in harsh outdoor environments such as strong corrosion, high sunlight, and high temperature radiation.