Originally published on ThomasNet.com on 4/30/24. Written by Kristie Chairil.
Project engineers often choose metal materials for their durability and strength. However, metals can be expensive, heavy, and prone to corrosion, forcing many developers to seek better, longer-lasting alternatives.
Amalga, one of the largest independent filament winding companies in the U.S., specializes in designing and manufacturing custom composite components for mission-critical applications. With an inventory of over 1,200 mandrels, Amalga produces parts up to 30 feet long and 42 inches in diameter.
“We never had a customer switch their product back to other materials once they’ve tried composites,” says Jose Di Geronimo, CEO of Amalga. “Most of the time, we’re asked to replace metal parts because there is a problem that forces the customer to consider alternative materials. It could be corrosion, weight, cost, conductivity, or the timeliness of delivery.
“Oftentimes, the issue is cost, so their metal part supplier will return and offer them a discounted price. But once the customer learns about the easier assembly, reduced shipping costs due to lighter weight, and all the other benefits of composites, they don’t want to give them up,” says Di Geronimo.
In addition to filament winding, Amalga offers compression molding, machining, and finishing capabilities, all from their 80,000-square-foot facility in West Allis, Wisconsin. Core products include pneumatic tubing, driveshafts, launch tubes, hydraulic reservoirs, underwater pressure vessels, reverse osmosis membranes, frac plugs, and many engineered composites.
Amalga’s largest market is pneumatic cylinder tubing for the fluid power industry. As a build-to-print manufacturer, Amalga uses a range of carbon and glass reinforcements depending on the customer’s need.
“Our engineering team’s goal is to work closely with customers to find the right solution to their challenges,” says Di Geronimo. “By applying sound theoretical knowledge and real-world experience, we have solved problems we were told were unsolvable.”