Fiberglass Supports Terrestrial Radio Equipment

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Located in the Dutch Caribbean, a broadcast transmission facility based on the island of Bonaire recently installed a medium wave radio broadcast antenna system manufactured by Kintronic Labs Inc. For almost forty years, Kintronic Labs has been sourcing FRP components to build their broadcast radio equipment. Located in Tennessee, the seventy-year-old company is a full-service manufacturing and refurbishment facility for broadcast, radio, and wireless frequency transmission components.

With superior strength-to-weight performance and EM/RF transparency, Strongwell’s EXTREN®, DURASHIELD®, SAFPLANK®, and FIBREBOLT® products have been frequently used in applications for cellular shielding and screening due to their L.A.R.R. certification.

In the broadcast radio systems manufacturing sector, nonferrous metals are commonly used throughout system designs due to weight, conductivity, nonmagnetic nature, and corrosion resistance. In this particular application, maximum corrosion resistance was vital due to the station’s proximity to the ocean, and so, like most of Kintronic’s systems, Strongwell FRP was used for many of the structural components.

TECHNICAL DATA
Product: Passive RF Component Frames & Supports
Process: Pultrusion, Fabrication
Materials & Sizes:

  • EXTREN® Series 525 Structural Shapes:

    • Angle: 2" x 1/4", 3" x 3/8", 6" x 3/8"
    • Channel: 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 3/16"

  • FIBREBOLT® Studs & Nuts
For: Kintronic Labs Inc.
User: Trans World Radio

Within their radio system designs, Kintronic Labs cleverly addresses certain structural challenges by using fabricated fiberglass components mechanically fastened together. Kintronic’s research shows FRP works best to minimize electromagnetic interference and conductivity while their system is in operation.

Understanding the full advantages of pultruded fiberglass for Kintronic’s applications, the company turns to various EXTREN® structural shapes and FIBREBOLT® fiberglass studs and nuts to construct insulated frames and supports for high power passive RF components. These internal components ensure decades of continuous long-range terrestrial broadcasting.

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For multiple decades, Kintronics Labs has shipped broadcast systems throughout the world containing Strongwell’s FRP products. With regards to FRP, they have never sourced anywhere else due to Strongwell’s impeccable service and product design standards.

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