Extrusion Know How

dies 22 Feb 2021

Extrusion: Follow These Tips to Get Profile Die Design Just Right

Calculating polymer flow is fairly straightforward when designing a die for a simple round profile, but as the shapes get more complicated these calculations can get extremely challenging. Here’s what you need to consider.

Recycling 30 Nov 2020

General-Purpose Screws on the Comeback?

They are being specified more often for recycling applications to increase flexibility. But there is still no such thing as a GP screw and recyclers need to consider other processing approaches.

Extrusion 9 Nov 2020

The Three Causes of Screw Wear

You run the risk of wasting time and money by not understanding what’s causing your screws to wear.

Extrusion 8 Oct 2020

Extrusion: Solving Surging in Two-Stage Screws

This usually crops up when the two stages are not matched in output. The best solution is to install a pressure-adjusting valve at the discharge end of the extruder.

Extrusion 10 Sep 2020

Understanding the Effect of Polymer Viscosity on Melt Temperature

Every processor should get hold of the viscosity curves for the polymers they use or contemplate using in their operations, and learn how to read them.

Extrusion Know How 31 Aug 2020

Extrusion: Evaluating Screw Design for Multi-Material Recycling

Since many plastic products are made of a combination of materials with very different melting points, careful consideration must be given to designing screws when it comes time to recycle these products.

Medical 20 Jul 2020

Extrusion: 'Melt-Blown' Fiber: What You Need to Know to Enter the Face Mask Market

Coronavirus pandemic has made extrusion processors curious about entering the face-mask market. But melt-blown fiber is very different from most other extrusion processes and requires specialized equipment.

Extrusion Know How 12 Jun 2020

Extrusion: The Importance of Zone 1 Barrel Temperature

Tweaking the temperature settings of the first barrel zones may not yield the desired result. In fact, they may yield the opposite. Here’s why.

Additive Manufacturing 28 May 2020

What You Should Know About Miniature Extrusion Screws

Very small screws have become more common with the growth of additive manufacturing. Designing such screws requires balancing their output requirements with their torque strength.