Jim Frankland President

best practices 1 Jun 2018

Extrusion: A Simple Way to Evaluate Extruder Screws

While there’s lots of data that influences screw design, processors usually don’t have access to it. So instead, try calculating drag flow to see if your screw is working properly.

best practices 27 Apr 2018

Extrusion: Barrier Screws: Metering Section or Not?

A barrier screw without a metering section can reduce output and increase melt temperature.

best practices 29 Mar 2018

Extrusion: Why There Are No Truly Universal Dies

Flow characteristics of different polymers vary considerably. So while adjustment features are available, for the most part dies must be designed for an individual polymer.

Extrusion Know How 2 Mar 2018

Extrusion: Understanding Weld Failures

Hard-surfacing failures without evidence of burrs indicate possible weld bond issues.

Extrusion Know How 1 Dec 2017

Extrusion: How Hopper Crammers Can Help Feeding

A crammer can assist the flow of certain polymers into the extruder. But the design is not universal and very material dependent. Here’s what you need to know.

best practices 27 Oct 2017

Extrusion: The Challenges of Extruding Highly Filled Polymers

These materials require screw changes and modifications in upstream and downstream equipment and operating procedures.

Extrusion Know How 25 Sep 2017

Extrusion: The Role of Polymer Density in Screw Design

Density affects the mass flow rate, and energy transfer is based on mass, not volume. As a result, polymer density enters into practically every calculation in a screw design.

best practices 31 Aug 2017

Extrusion: The Facts About Barrel-Temperature Override

Cooling the barrel more may extract heat from the barrel, but not necessarily from the process. Here’s why.

Extrusion Know How 25 Jul 2017

Extrusion: The Importance of Proper Barrel Supports

Supports that allow the barrel to expand and contract easily will prevent alignment issues. Examine them periodically for proper operation, particularly if you’re experiencing excessive wear.