Roll wrapped carbon tubes are infinitely customizable and perfect for a variety of applications for which weight and stiffness are important. We have engineered wrapped carbon tubes for use in UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones), hiking sticks, pool cues, gun barrel sleeves, scientific measuring instruments, and antennas. Our wrapped composite tubes are even on Mars as the legs of NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter!

Roll-wrapped composite tubes start with a mandrel and some pre-preg fabric cut into flags. Pre-preg is carbon or other composite cloth pre-impregnated with resin. We wrap the fabric flags around the mandrel, compact the tube with cellophane tape, and then cure the tube in a special oven. The resin in the pre-preg fabric liquifies in the oven, disperses equally throughout the composite fabric layers, and then solidifies. We finish the tube by extracting the mandrel, removing the cellophane compaction tape, and trimming the ends.

Wrapped composite tubes can be customized to accommodate many variables, including:

• Material – We can create tubes using pre-preg carbon, fiberglass, kevlar, or a combination of different materials. We stock both standard modulus prepreg (33 msi) and intermediate modulus prepreg (42 msi) and can special order high modulus carbon prepreg. Our standard carbon prepreg uses a standard, industrial-grade epoxy resin. We can special order prepregs with other resins to control for UV exposure, extreme temperatures, and more.
• Size – Wrapped tubes are made to a specific inner and outer diameter, giving you control of wall thickness and size. Goodwinds Composites can meet custom ID and OD specifications by using professionally-finished steel mandrels and precision-designed wraps. We can also grind the finish product to a precise outer diameter in our composites machine shop.
• Wall Thickness – Roll wrapped carbon fiber tubes can be fabricated to any wall thickness by adding layers of prepreg. Goodwinds Composites are experts at designing thick-walled roll-wrapped tubes without air pockets.
• Straightness – We can make straight, tapered, or even double tapered tubes.
• Inner Core – Goodwinds Composites is able to wrap around an inner rod or tube of carbon, fiberglass, or even wood to make a solid rod instead of a wrapped tube
• Stiffness – We can achieve a specific deflection by wrapping more or fewer layers of prepreg to create the finished tube or using an intermediate modulus prepreg
• Hoop Strength – Goodwinds Composites can engineer your tubes to have extra hoop strength by aligning the flags in specific configurations
• Appearance – We work with all kinds of pre-preg materials to create tubes with a  unidirectional fiber wrap, square weave, twill, satin weave, fiberglass/carbon combinations, high-modulus carbon fabric, and so much more. Roll-wrapped composite tubes typically have a glossy finish with ridges from the cellophane tape. Goodwinds Composites also offers centerless grinding and sanding for a smooth, matte finish.

We stock a variety of wrapped carbon tubes for sale. You can find straight wrapped carbon tubes here and tapered wrapped carbon tubes here.

Goodwinds Composites would love the opportunity to work with you on a custom roll-wrapped product. Please call and talk to Paul today at 206-632-6151.