Fiberglass Enclosures for Telecom and Advanced Composites

RF-Transparent Protection for Critical Communications Equipment

Performance Composites manufactures custom fiberglass enclosures, radomes, antenna covers, and advanced composite components for telecommunications equipment manufacturers. Our RF-transparent composite structures are designed around customer-defined electrical, structural, and environmental requirements. With engineering, tooling, manufacturing, and assembly capabilities in California and Nevada, we support telecom OEMs nationwide.

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Custom Fiberglass Enclosures for Telecommunications

Telecommunications equipment requires protective structures that accommodate antennas, electronics, and mounting hardware without compromising their intended operation. Fiberglass offers a combination of RF transparency, corrosion resistance, and design flexibility for these applications.

Performance Composites manufactures custom components for:

Wireless Communications Equipment
Cellular Antenna Systems
Radar and RF Equipment
Telecommunications Infrastructure
Outdoor Electronic Equipment
Satellite Communications Systems
Specialized Communications Installations

Our team works from customer drawings, material specifications, and production requirements to manufacture components suited to each application.

RF-Transparent Fiberglass Enclosures

RF transparency is one of the primary reasons manufacturers select fiberglass for telecommunications applications. Unlike conductive metals, properly designed fiberglass composites allow radio-frequency signals to pass through with relatively low interference.

However, RF performance depends on the complete laminate construction, not simply the use of fiberglass.

Material Properties That Affect RF Performance

Several factors influence how an enclosure interacts with electromagnetic signals:

Resin System and Dielectric Properties
Reinforcement Type and Fiber Content
Laminate Thickness
Operating Frequency
Surface Geometry
Environmental Conditions

These requirements must be considered during material selection and component development.

Protecting Sensitive Communications Equipment

Outdoor telecommunications equipment may be exposed to moisture, temperature changes, ultraviolet radiation, and physical contact. Fiberglass composite enclosures provide corrosion resistance and can be manufactured with suitable protective finishes for the intended environment.

Specific weatherproofing, environmental ratings, and RF performance requirements must be established for each project.

Fiberglass Radomes and Antenna Covers

Radomes and antenna covers protect communications equipment while allowing electromagnetic signals to pass through the structure. Performance Composites manufactures custom fiberglass components for radar, antenna, and communications applications.

Custom Fiberglass Radomes

Radomes must meet dimensional and material requirements related to the equipment they protect. Composite manufacturing allows manufacturers to produce curved, aerodynamic, and complex geometries while controlling the laminate construction.

Radome design considerations include wall thickness, dielectric properties, mounting locations, and environmental exposure.

Antenna Covers and Protective Housings

Antenna covers must fit the equipment and supporting structure without creating unnecessary interference with signal transmission. Custom manufacturing allows the enclosure to accommodate specific mounting arrangements, access openings, and exterior dimensions.

Complex Composite Shapes

Telecommunications equipment does not always fit standard rectangular housings.

Fiberglass can be molded into curved and specialized shapes, allowing manufacturers to develop structures around the equipment rather than adapting equipment to an existing enclosure.

Composite Enclosures for Outdoor Telecom Infrastructure

Telecommunications installations often require durable equipment protection over extended service periods. Composite enclosures can be manufactured to address structural loading, corrosion exposure, equipment access, and installation requirements.

Corrosion-Resistant Construction

Fiberglass does not rust like steel and can be suitable for outdoor installations where moisture exposure is a concern. The resin system and surface finish must still be selected for the intended environment.

Lightweight Equipment Structures

Composite materials may reduce component weight compared with certain metal designs. Actual weight depends on the laminate construction, reinforcement materials, internal supports, and installed hardware.

Integrated Mounting Features

Custom enclosures may require brackets, inserts, attachment points, and access openings. These features are established through customer drawings and incorporated into the manufacturing and assembly plan.

Fiberglass vs. Carbon Fiber for Telecom Applications

Material selection depends on whether the component’s primary requirements involve RF transmission, structural stiffness, weight, or environmental resistance.

Fiberglass for RF Compatibility

Fiberglass is electrically nonconductive and is commonly used in radomes and antenna covers. When combined with an appropriate resin system, it can provide the electrical properties required for many communications applications.

Carbon Fiber for Structural Applications

Carbon fiber offers high stiffness relative to weight and can be suitable for supporting structures and other specialized components. However, carbon fiber is electrically conductive. Its use near antennas and communications equipment must be evaluated carefully because it can affect electromagnetic performance.

Composite Sandwich Construction

Composite sandwich panels combine reinforced skins with lightweight foam or honeycomb cores. This construction can increase bending stiffness without requiring a thicker solid laminate. Core selection must account for the component’s structural and RF requirements.

Telecom Composite Design and Tooling

Custom telecommunications components often require specialized molds and fixtures to meet equipment dimensions and manufacturing requirements.

Performance Composites provides engineering assistance and tooling development for prototype and production applications.

Our capabilities include:

CAD Design Support
CNC-Machined Masters
Custom Mold Fabrication
Prototype Tooling
Production Molds
3D-Printed and Milled Fixtures
Locating Jigs
Tooling Modifications

Tooling requirements depend on component geometry, surface finish, material selection, and production quantities.

Manufacturing Processes for Telecom Composites

Performance Composites offers multiple manufacturing methods for custom fiberglass and advanced composite components. The process is selected according to part geometry, laminate requirements, production volume, and dimensional specifications.

Vacuum Infusion

Vacuum infusion draws resin through dry reinforcement materials inside a sealed mold. It is suitable for many large composite structures and molded panels requiring controlled resin distribution.

Light Resin Transfer Molding

Light RTM uses matched tooling and controlled resin introduction. This process can support repeatable manufacturing for suitable composite enclosure designs.

Prepreg Manufacturing

Prepreg materials contain reinforcement fibers pre-impregnated with resin. They may be used for specialized components requiring controlled laminate properties.

Hand Layup and Spray Layup

Hand layup provides flexibility for custom reinforcement placement and complex shapes. Spray layup offers another manufacturing option for suitable fiberglass structures.

CNC Machining, Finishing, and Assembly

A molded enclosure may require additional operations before it is ready for equipment installation.

Performance Composites provides secondary manufacturing services based on approved drawings and bills of materials.

These services include:

CNC Routing and Trimming
Drilling and Equipment Cutouts
Threaded Insert Installation
Mounting Bracket Installation
Hardware Integration
Surface Preparation
Painting and Finishing
Dimensional Inspection
Final Assembly

Completing these operations within the manufacturing process helps coordinate component fit and assembly requirements.

Quality Control for Fiberglass Enclosures

Dimensional accuracy is important when an enclosure must align with antennas, mounting hardware, and surrounding equipment. Performance Composites operates under an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system.

Our inspection capabilities include coordinate measuring machines (CMM), Romer arm measurement, and 3D scanning. These tools support dimensional verification against customer drawings and CAD models. Inspection requirements and allowable tolerances are established for each project.

Fiberglass Enclosure Manufacturing in California and Nevada

Performance Composites provides American-made composite manufacturing services from two facilities.

Compton, California

Our 53,000-square-foot Southern California facility supports telecommunications manufacturers in Los Angeles County and surrounding industrial markets.

Reno, Nevada

Our 51,000-square-foot Reno facility provides additional manufacturing capacity for customers in Nevada, Northern California, and other western states. Together, these locations support prototype development, custom tooling, and production manufacturing for telecom OEMs throughout the United States.

Telecom Composite Manufacturing Service Areas

Performance Composites serves telecommunications equipment manufacturers nationwide, with manufacturing operations positioned to support western U.S. markets.

Our regional service areas include:

California – Fiberglass radomes, antenna covers, and custom telecom components
Nevada – Composite enclosure manufacturing and OEM production support
Arizona – Custom communications equipment housings and molded structures
Utah – Fiberglass enclosures and telecommunications components
Oregon – RF-transparent composite structures and antenna protection
Washington – Custom radomes and outdoor communications equipment covers

Customers can submit drawings and technical specifications for manufacturing evaluation regardless of project location.

Why Telecom OEMs Choose Performance Composites

Telecommunications manufacturers need composite components that meet electrical, structural, dimensional, and production requirements. Performance Composites brings more than 40 years of composite manufacturing experience to specialized OEM applications.

Our capabilities cover engineering support, in-house tooling, multiple fabrication methods, CNC machining, inspection, finishing, and assembly. With ISO 9001:2015 certification and manufacturing facilities in California and Nevada, we support both prototype development and production programs. Our experience extends across telecommunications, aerospace, defense, transportation, and other industries requiring custom composite structures.

Discuss Your Fiberglass Enclosure Project

Need RF-transparent fiberglass enclosures, custom radomes, antenna covers, or other telecom composite components? Performance Composites provides engineering, tooling, manufacturing, and assembly support for telecommunications OEMs nationwide.

Fiberglass Enclosures and Telecom Composites FAQs

What is a semi truck roof fairing?

A semi truck roof fairing is an exterior structure mounted on or above the truck cab to help manage airflow. Its shape is designed around the vehicle's cab and trailer configuration. Composite materials allow manufacturers to create large, curved fairings with custom mounting features.

Why are composite materials used for semi truck fairings?

Composite materials offer design flexibility, corrosion resistance, and the potential for lower component weight. They can be molded into complex shapes without relying on multiple formed metal panels. Actual performance depends on the reinforcement materials, resin system, and component design.

What was the biggest challenge in PCI's EV semi truck fairing project?

The primary challenge was positioning the internal support structure and mounting hardware within ±1 mm across a large, one-piece roof fairing. This accuracy was necessary because the composite assembly had to fit a metallic truck cab. The project required careful coordination of the component's geometry and attachment locations.

Can Performance Composites manufacture custom semi truck fairings for other OEMs?

Yes. Performance Composites provides custom tooling, engineering support, and composite manufacturing for transportation applications. OEMs can submit drawings, dimensional specifications, and production requirements for evaluation. The manufacturing method and materials are determined according to each project's design and performance needs.

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