The world's first full ceramic screw for extrusion of abrasive, highly filled materials was developed this year by H.C.

The world's first full ceramic screw for extrusion of abrasive, highly filled materials was developed this year by H.C. Starck Ceramics GmbH in Selb, Germany, a unit of Bayer AG. The test screw consists of a silicon nitride ceramic outer sleeve (including the flights) on a metal shank. For commercial models, Starck would make a monolithic ceramic screw joined at one end to a metal post for force transmission. Previously, ceramic had been used only as a thin coating on steel screws. Starck developed the screws for ECT Extrusion for Ceramic Technology in Muhlacker, Germany, a builder of extruders to process ceramic powders with a cornstarch binder. Starck is now working on a test project with Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik in Germany (represented here by American Maplan Corp., McPherson, Kan.) to produce tubing of glass-filled plastics. Sister company Battenfeld Injection Molding in Germany previously tested a partly ceramic injection screw from Starck with 50% glass-filled nylon and observed very high wear resistance. Starck: +49 (9287) 807-161/www.hcstarck.com . Maplan: (620) 241-6843 . PTDirect: 817SD

American Maplan
823 South 81 Bypass McPherson, KS 67460
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