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Polymer extrusion is widely used in the plastics sector to produce everything from one hundred yardsof pipe-tubing to plastic sheets to a thousand Crazy Straws. When plastic is extruded, the molecules are arranged in a way that increases its strength in a longitudinal direction.
Types of Machines
Single screw extruders, twin screw extruders, and ram extruders are the three most common forms of plastic extrusion equipment. Ram extruders (which employ a ram or plunger instead of a screw) are beneficial for plastics that don’t melt well with a screw, such PTFE and UHMW, but single and multiple screw extruders are more prevalent.
Simple Screw Extruders
Because of its low price, simple design, toughness, dependability, and good performance/cost ratio, single screw extruders are the most popular continuous extruders in the polymer extrusion sector. Melting plastic material, pressing it into a die to form it into a continuous profile, and finally cutting it to length are the steps that make up the plastic extrusion machine process.
Extruders With Two Screws
Extruders with two screws, or twin-screw extruders, are one type of continuous multiple screw extruders. As their name suggests, these extruders get their unique shape from a pair of Archimedean screws. Since many design parameters, including rotational direction, degree of intermeshing, etc., are flexible in twin screw extrusion, there are many different types of twin screw extruders.
Screw Extruder
In general, extruders with more than two screws are less frequent, however planetary roller extruders are one common exception. Especially in the feed area, this extruder is identical to a single screw extruder. Still, the mixing process is where things begin to diverge.
Plastic Extrusion Material Varieties
The bulk of extruded polymers are thermoplastics; however thermosets can be extruded too. Many different types of plastics, some with crystalline molecular structures and others with amorphous ones, fall under this category.
Foundations Of Extrusion Method
Additives (such UV inhibitors, antioxidants, or colorants) are incorporated into the resin if it is lacking in these areas and will be needed for the intended use. The resin is then delivered into the extruder’s barrel by gravity through the hopper’s feed mouth.
Maintenance of Temperature
When working with plastic extrusions, it’s crucial to keep the resin at the right melting temperature. The optimal temperature allows the plastic to be uniformly fluid, reducing the likelihood of stress and warping in the finished product.
Specification
Careful thought must be given to the size and design of the screw, as it is the only moving part in the plastic extruder, and as such, affects the heating rate, feed rate, and other integral extrusion parameters. Diameter and length of screw are determined by melting rate, resin size, raw plastic type, and needed pressure for homogeneity.
Machines Further Down the Stream
The extruded plastic must undergo additional processing before it is ready for shipment. Extrusions are cooled, chopped, and twisted by downstream equipment to make them more transportable. There are often six or more planetary screws, sometimes called sun screws, equally distributed in the planetary roller portion and all of which spin around the central screw.
