SINTRIX Technology

IT’S THE SMALL THINGS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

Never has that statement held more truth than with the development of SINTRIX® technology. All carbon rods utilise carbon fibres that are bonded together by an adhesive resin. The resin material used in SINTRIX® is produced by 3M®, it is a unique and patented material incorporating silica nano spheres which provides two distinct benefits.

Firstly the microscopic silica spheres are able to evenly surround every individual carbon fibre filament providing a matrix of strength throughout the rod. Secondly, being spherical, the silica particles are able to resist pressure and compression from any angle. This is particularly important because it is under compression forces, on the underside of a bent rod, rather than tension forces, on the outside of the curve, that carbon fibre is most likely to weaken and potentially break. So by resisting compression better, SINTRIX® rods are stronger.

In developing SINTRIX® our specialist composite engineers and rod designers spent over two years experimenting with different types, and mixes, of carbon fibres combined with varying levels of 3M® nano silica resin. They also discovered that the normal manufacturing processes associated with carbon fibre rods had to be significantly changed in order to get the best from the new 3M® resin material. The final results were astonishing with up to 60% increases in strength and up to 30% savings in weight. Driven by our passion and determination to always push the boundaries—part of Hardy’s DNA since 1872—we now offer varying levels of SINTRIX® technology across our rod range, each level brings significant and tangible benefits over traditional carbon fibre construction.

"(...) Our early work on the material with our sister company Hardy Advanced Composites had indicated considerable increases in compressive strength and impact resistance where possible, but even our material engineers were not prepared for the results. Following the first day of testing, we e ven asked the manufacturer of our compressive strength tester to re-calibrate the machine as the results it had produced were, to quote one of our testers, “nonsense”.

There was nothing wrong with the testing machine, the blanks netted out at close to 60% stronger than our calculations suggested they ought to be, and from that point on the entire team focused on the development of what became the Zenith and Proaxis series of rods and the refinement of what was to become SINTRIX® technology.  (...)"

Howard Croston
Hardy Product Manager and England International.