Sustained R&D yields upgraded carbon fiber tubes

A few China companies manufacturing carbon fiber tubes have started introducing carbon nanofiber kinds, which feature better performance at lower prices.

Considered the replacement of metal tubes in various applications in years to come, carbon fiber tubes have been attracting the attention of manufacturers in China, spurring continued product development. The material is widely adopted in electronics, medical devices, wind turbines, and the industrial and military fields for its high strength, light weight, low density and long life span. The last is based on its enhanced resistance to corrosion, abrasion, shock and elevated temperatures.

Makers such as Shenzhen Cone have announced the release of carbon nanofiber tubes, which outperform typical counterparts, including in terms of safety, but command a lower price. The advanced kind targets the high-end requirement in the automotive, aviation and space industries.

Due to the comparatively steep technology involved in carbon nanofiber tubes manufacture, the majority of local enterprises will continue to concentrate on improving capability to turn out better conventional variants. Dongguan Juli FRP Products Co. Ltd invested in the acquisition of eight carbon fiber roll-wrapping and five carbon fiber compression molding machines. It plans to raise production by another 20 percent in the months ahead.

Globally, the carbon nanofiber tubes line will have a market scale of $8.7 billion in 2022 from $3.43 billion in 2016, posting a 17 percent CAGR, according to Research and Markets. The key demand drivers are ICs, lithium batteries, solar and fuel cells, and the automotive, aviation and space sectors.

In the mainstream carbon fiber tubes industry, China is projected to realize nearly 19 percent growth annually in the next two years, with total market scale hitting $12.8 billion by 2020, according to specialized local publication Reinforced Plastic. The region is a major production base for the line, accounting for more than 40 percent of worldwide shipments. It sends a portion of output mainly to Europe, the US and East Asia.

More than 300 companies make up China’s manufacturing industry for carbon fiber tubes and at least 80 percent are domestic enterprises. The category accounts for 10 to 50 percent of shipments, and parts and frames made of the same material the rest.

About 200 of the suppliers of carbon fiber and composite materials gather in the province of Shandong, specifically in Weihai. The city plays host to a carbon fiber industrial park. The other makers are spread over the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions, and the Bohai Bay Rim Economic Region. The key city locations include Shenzhen and Dongguan in Guangdong province, and Suzhou and Nantong in Jiangsu.

The production pool is expected to increase in size in these areas in coming years.

Various shapes, sizes

Carbon fiber tubes from China enterprises come in custom shapes and sizes to suit specific requirements in automotive, drone, space and aviation, power and military applications.

Releases vary in terms of carbon fiber content, which determines product performance and pricing. For the high-end market, the provider of the material is another differentiator. Local makers turn to foreign companies for upscale models. Their main sources include Toray, Mitsubishi, Hexcel and FPC.

Besides carbon fiber materials, production requires epoxy resin, steel and aluminum. The last three are usually obtained from the local supply.

The cost of manufacturing inputs is expected to remain flat and keep product prices at current levels throughout 2019.

The products in this gallery have been handpicked by our China-based market analyst for representing current trends in carbon fiber tubes from China makers.

1 to 2mm-thick carbon fiber tube

From Dongguan Juli FRP Products Co. Ltd, the model Juli-cfp-2522 carbon fiber tube has 12 to 25mm outer and 8 to 23mm inner diameters, 1 to 2mm thickness and 1m length. It comes in 3K plain matte, twill gloss and twill matte variants.

An order of at least 20 pieces is required for delivery within 7 days.

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Carbon fiber tube in 5 sizes

The model Tubes-1 carbon fiber tube from Shandong Evergreen Industries Ltd is available in
4x6, 6x8, 10x8, 12x10 and 20x18mm.

The supplier requires an order of at least 100 pieces. Delivery is within 5 days.

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Corrosion-resistant carbon fiber tube

Shandong Yijiang Import and Export Co. Ltd's model CP-062 corrosion-resistant carbon fiber tube uses 3K woven natural filaments and has a glossy or matte surface finish. Thickness is buyer-specified.

The order quantity is negotiable. Delivery lead time is 7 days.

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Carbon fiber tube in customizable sizes

Zibo Langda Composite Technology Co. Ltd offers the model LD-CF0015 carbon fiber tube with high tensile strength and low thermal expansion in custom sizes.

The 200-piece minimum order is delivered within 10 days.

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