Extrusion Know How
Take Proper Care in Feeding Your Extruder
Everything that happens in an extruder starts at the feed throat, so proper attention to that zone’s temperature pays off in quality and productivity.
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Smaller Screws Impose Bigger Challenges
Very small extruder screws work just about like their larger cousins, but some critical differences make them harder to design and machine.
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How to Estimate and Control Head Pressure
You rightfully worry about melt temperature, but don’t overlook head pressure, because the two are closely linked and will influence line performance.
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Cooling the Feed Throat and Screw: How Much Water Do You Need?
It’s one of the biggest quandaries in extrusion, as there is little or nothing published to give operators some guidance. So let’s try to shed some light on this trial-and-error process.
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Extruding PCR? Consider a Vented Extruder
You’ll need two-stage screws to extract volatiles that post-consumer reclaim will likely contain. Screw design can be a complex balancing act. Here’s what you need to know.
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The Importance of Viscosity in Melting
The calculations required to determine the right melt temperature for each polymer are complicated. Knowing the power-law coefficient and the consistency index of the polymer you run might prove useful.
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Why Are There No 'Universal' Screws for All Polymers?
There’s a simple answer: Because all plastics are not the same.
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Understanding Melting in Single-Screw Extruders
You can better visualize the melting process by “flipping” the observation point so that the barrel appears to be turning clockwise around a stationary screw.
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Minimize Sheet Gauge Variation by Roll Design
‘Hour-glass’ sheet gauge can be avoided through a reverse-bending roll design that is out of patent and freely available.
Read MoreConsidering Scaling Up for More Output? Follow These Tips
Keep these calculations handy when you are trying to decide whether a bigger extruder will get you the output you need.
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