SPE Thermoforming Division highlights construction equipment composite hood innovation

 (Preston, Iowa, U.S.) for its biennial parts competition that improved the composite hood of a customer’s horizontal directional drills, construction equipment that is used to install underground utilities like pipes and cables without disturbing the ground surface.

Source | Plastics Unlimited

The rear hood developed for the OEM’s directional drills faced a major issue: the existing orange gelcoated fiberglass hoods, exposed constantly to UV rays, would fade over time — turning a dull, chalky white. The customer approached Plastics Unlimited for a solution, resulting in replacing the original gelcoated fiberglass with a co-extruded ABS with acrylic cap to maintain vibrant appearances and performance even under harsh environmental conditions.

According to Plastics Unlimited, the new hood uses a process that bonds two materials into a single, high-performance structure. The outer layer is a 0.350-inch-thick, color-matched, co-extruded ABS with an acrylic cap, providing a Class A finish. This passes stringent accelerated weathering and corrosion tests, ensuring the orange color stays bright and fade-resistant. The structural backing, however, is still fiberglass, to ensure the delivery of high strength and to endure extreme temperatures — ideal for engine enclosures. Combined, the plastics and composites material systems offers durability, impact resistance and weight savings.

The production part uses tooling consisting of a single-cavity, temperature-controlled aluminum mold, optimized for consistent quality and cycle time.

Plastics Unlimited notes that no attachment points are visible from the Class A side, preserving a clean, professional appearance. Mounting brackets and screens are adhered to the B-side using structural adhesive. Moreover, assembly fixtures were designed and manufactured in-house to ensure tight customer tolerance requirements were met.