Extrusion Processes

Ext rusi on i s t he process where a sol i d pl ast i c (al so cal l ed a resi n),
usual l y i n t he f orm of beads or pel l et s, i s cont i nuousl y f ed t o a
heat ed chamber and carri ed al ong by a f eedscrew wi t hi n. The
f eedscrew i s dri ven vi a dri ve/ mot or and t i ght speed and t orque
cont rol i s cri t i cal t o product qual i t y. As i t i s conveyed i t i s com-
pressed, mel t ed, and f orced out of t he chamber at a st eady rat e
t hrough a di e. The i mmedi at e cool i ng of t he mel t resul t s i n re-
sol i di f i cat i on of t hat pl ast i c i nt o a cont i nual l y drawn pi ece whose
cross sect i on mat ches t he di e pat t ern. Thi s di e has been engi -
neered and machi ned t o ensure t hat t he mel t f l ows i n a preci se
desi red shape.
Exampl es of ext ruders product s are bl own f i l m, pi pe, coat ed paper,
pl ast i c f i l ament s f or brush bri st l es, carpet f i bers, vi nyl si di ng, j ust
about any l i neal shape, pl us many, many more. There i s al most
al ways downst ream processi ng equi pment t hat i s f ed by t he
ext ruder. Dependi ng on t he end product , t he ext rusi on may be
bl own i nt o f i l m, wound, spun, f ol ded, and rol l ed, pl us a number of
ot her possi bi l i t i es. Thi s art i cl e l i mi t s any equi pment di scussi on t o
t he ext ruder i t sel f .
Pl ast i cs are very common subst ances f or ext rusi on. Rubber and
f oodst uf f s are al so qui t e of t en processed vi a ext rusi on.
Occasi onal l y, met al s such as al umi num are ext ruded pl us t rends
and new t echnol ogi es are al l owi ng an ever-wi deni ng vari et y of
mat eri al s and composi t es t o be ext ruded at cont i nual l y i ncreasi ng
t hroughput rat es. Thi s art i cl e wi l l f ocus onl y on t he ext rusi on of
pl ast i cs.
Features and Properties of Plastics
To underst and how t o opt i mal l y process pl ast i cs, i t i s essent i al t o
underst and some physi cal and chemi cal propert i es.
1. Al l pl ast i cs are composed of l ong chai n mol ecul es (ext remel y
hi gh mol ecul ar wei ght s) based on si mpl e "bui l di ng bl ocks"
cal l ed monomers. Each pol ymer mol ecul e t ypi cal l y cont ai ns
several t housand monomer bl ocks and t he react i on t hat creat es
pol ymers by monomer l i nki ng i s cal l ed pol ymeri zat i on. M onomer
uni t s can ei t her be al l t he same (vi nyl chl ori de monomer or
VCM pol ymeri zes t o make PVC) or t wo or more di f f erent
monomers can pol ymeri ze i n a repeat i ng or random pat t ern
(acryl oni t ri l e, but adi ene, and st yrene pol ymeri ze t o f orm ABS
copol ymer).
2. These l ong chai n mol ecul es vary wi del y i n t ype as wel l . Two
di st i nct cl assi f i cat i ons of pl ast i cs, whi ch exhi bi t hi ghl y di f f erent
physi cal behavi or, are di rect l y rel at ed t o t he degree t hat t he
pol ymer mol ecul es i nt eract or cross-l i nk wi t h each ot her.
a. Thermopl ast i cs t ypi cal l y have l i t t l e cross-l i nki ng. These
mat eri al s are easi l y def ormed, f l exed, and can be repeat edl y
mel t ed and re-sol i di f i ed (barri ng some of f -react i ons due t o
excessi ve t hermal degradat i on). Exampl es are pol yet hyl ene
(pl ast i c mi l k bot t l e mat eri al ) and pol ypropyl ene (used as
i nsul at i on i n a spun f i ber f orm, f or exampl e.).
b. Thermoset s are hi ghl y cross-l i nked pol ymers. They t end t o be
hard and bri t t l e, and t ypi cal l y are cured ei t her chemi cal l y or by
heat . Once f ormed t hey are i nf usi bl e, and wi l l t hermal l y
degrade bef ore a mel t i ng t emperat ure can be reached.
Exampl es are pol yuret hane (i nsul at i on) and bakel i t e.
Thermoset s are t ypi cal l y poor ext rusi on candi dat es and wi l l not
be di scussed any f urt her here.
Introduction
Application Solution
3. Pl ast i cs conduct heat i nef f i ci ent l y. Thi s means t hat heat i ng
(and cool i ng as wel l ) i s a sl ow process. Ext ruder desi gners must
t ake t hi s i nt o account so compl et e mel t i ng of t he pl ast i c i s
consi dered f or t he desi red product i on rat es. Ot herwi se t he
ext ruded product wi l l be unevenl y f ormed and of i nf eri or qual i t y.
However, provi di ng excessi ve heat t o si mpl y assure t hat mel t i ng
i s compl et e al so has i t s own set of negat i ves.
a. Si nce pl ast i cs are i nef f i ci ent conduct ors, t he excess heat i ng
i s i nef f i ci ent and t he ext ra energy i nvol ved i s cost l y.
b. Overheat ed mel t s requi re ext ra t i me t o re-sol i di f y, i ncreasi ng
t he l i kel i hood t hat t he ext ruded product becomes def ormed or
be mi sshapen upon hardeni ng.
c. Excessi ve t emperat ures can al so promot e of f -react i ons of t he
pl ast i c or bet ween any of t he addi t i ves. Thi s may resul t i n
t hermal degradat i on, of f -col or/ of f -spec product s, or t oxi c by-
product s.
4. Ext ruded resi ns are hi ghl y l i kel y t o cont ai n ot her compounds
and chemi cal s i n varyi ng amount s. These are bl ended by a
process cal l ed compoundi ng pri or t o f ormat i on of t he pel l et s or
beads. Rangi ng f rom t race amount s of propert y-enhanci ng
addi t i ves t o bul k f i l l er mat eri al , vari ous t ypes and t hei r
purposes are ment i oned here.
a. St abi l i zers are used t o bl ock f ormat i on of harmf ul
of f -product s (exampl e: addi t i ves i n PVC neut ral i ze or absorb
hydrochl ori c aci d f ormed at el evat ed t emperat ures.)
b. Lubri cant s make product more pl i abl e and reduce adherence
t o t he ext ruder wal l s. Thi s saves energy and el i mi nat es
pot ent i al hot spot s t hat coul d be si t es f or t hermal degradat i on.
c. Di es and col orant s gi ve ext ruded mat eri al s t hei r desi red col or
or t one.
d. Pl ast i ci sers reduce bri t t l e behavi or, maki ng processi ng easi er
and l ess cost l y.
e. Fi l l ers are t ypi cal l y i norgani c compounds (t al c, graphi t e,
chal k, et c.) t hat are cheap and do not af f ect t he i nt egri t y of t he
resi n mat ri x. Thi s makes t he mat eri al l ess expensi ve on a
wei ght basi s t han pure pl ast i c. New devel opment s and
engi neeri ng ef f ort s have ut i l i zed f i l l ers t o achi eve t arget ed
propert i es as wel l .
f . Al l oyi ng pol ymers (si mi l ar t o met al al l oys) can t ake advant age
of desi rabl e propert i es of ei t her pol ymer.
g. Ot her addi t i ves gi ve pl ast i cs t hei r gl ossy l ook, f eel , f l ame
ret ardi ng charact eri st i cs, and ot her speci f i ed propert i es.
5. Shear, on a mi croscopi c l evel , i s def i ned as l ayers or pl anes of
mol ecul es sl i di ng across one anot her. The measurement of
f orce appl i ed t o move t hese pl anes i s t he shear st ress and t he
amount of shear over t i me i s t he shear rat e. Viscosityi s an
i mport ant f l ui d propert y and i s def i ned as t he shear st ress/
shear rat e. M ol t en pl ast i c i s subj ect t o sheari ng as i t moves i n
an ext ruder, and t he l ower t he mel t ' s vi scosi t y, t he l ess appl i ed
t orque i s requi red t o ext rude i t .
Extrusion Equipment
Overview
Fi gure 1 shows a basi c ext ruder machi ne. Pl ast i c pel l et s or beads
(al so ref erred t o as resi n) are f ed f rom t he hopper al ong a f eed
screw t hrough a barrel chamber. As t he resi n t ravel s al ong t he
barrel , i t i s subj ect t o f ri ct i on, compressi on, and heat ed zones.
The resul t i s t hat t he resi n mel t s and f urt her t ravel at t he exi t end
of t he screw serves t o mi x t he mel t homogeneousl y. The mel t
ent ers a chamber desi gned t o ensure an evenl y di st ri but ed f l ow
t o t he di e. In many machi nes, a mel t pump i s used t o prevent any
pressure surges. Al so, breaker pl at es serve t o prevent any sol i d
part i cl es or f orei gn obj ect s f rom passi ng t hrough t he di e.
The di e i s a preci sel y machi ned part wi t h a pat t erned openi ng
such t hat t he ext ruded pl ast i c t akes t hat di e pat t ern f or i t s cross
sect i onal area. Wi t h product s such as ext ruded sheet , t here are
adj ust ment s t o t he di e t o al l ow f or a vari et y of sheet t hi cknesses
wi t h one di e. Shapes are vari ed, and t ypi cal l y are hol es f or f i l a-
ment , annul ar ri ngs f or pi pe and t ube, or geomet ri c pat t erned
shapes f or i t ems such as vi nyl si di ng and wi ndow f rame st ock. Al l
di e surf aces must be f ree f rom def ect s ot herwi se unwant ed pat -
t erns wi l l appear on t he ext ruded product .
Product f rom t he di e sol i di f i es qui ckl y. Dependi ng on t he end
product , t hi s may be achi eved by i mmersi on i n cool i ng wat er, ai r-
cool i ng, or cont act wi t h chi l l rol l s. As ment i oned above, overheat -
i ng t he mel t i s t o be avoi ded at al l cost s, or t he product wi l l not
f orm properl y on sol i di f i cat i on. Once sol i d, t he product mat eri al
can be wound, spun, or cut i n def i ned l engt hs dependi ng upon i t s
i nt ended end-use.
Figure 1
Basic Extruder Machine
The f eedscrew, barrel , and t emperat ure cont rol l er f orm a sect i on
of t he ext ruder cal l ed t he pl ast i cat i on uni t . Pl ast i cat i on i s def i ned
as t he conversi on of a t hermopl ast i c t o a mel t . As ment i oned
bef ore, t hi s i s cri t i cal t o successf ul ext rusi on processes.
The maj or component s i n an ext ruder are di scussed here.
Feedscrew
As t he onl y movi ng part i n many ext ruders, f eed-screws must do
t he j ob of movi ng t he resi ns t hrough t he barrel chamber i n a
st eady and predi ct abl e manner. As a resul t , and t he f eed-screw i s
cri t i cal t o t he desi gn
Fi gure 2 shows exampl es of f eedscrews. There are at l east t hree
def i ned sect i ons i n a basi c f eedscrew, and i f speci f i cal l y
engi neered t o accompl i sh a def i ni t e purpose, t hey can have
addi t i onal sect i ons.
1. The f eed zone t akes resi n f rom t he hopper and conveys i t
al ong. Duri ng t he j ourney, resi n pel l et s encount er f ri ct i on f rom
f eedscrew surf aces, barrel surf aces, and each ot her. Thi s
mechani cal f ri ct i on i s about 85% of t he requi red heat , so i t i s
cri t i cal t hat t he dri ve equi pment t o t urn t he screw have t he HP
capabi l i t i es t o overcome f ri ct i on AND t urn t he f eedscrew at a
st eady and cont rol l ed rat e. Some ext ruders can cont i nue t o
pl ast i cat e mat eri al s l ong af t er t hei r ext ernal heat sources are
shut down.
2. The compressi on zone i s next . Here, t he channel dept h
bet ween screw f l i ght s di mi ni shes and t he resul t i s t o pressuri ze
t he now mel t i ng resi n. Fri ct i on, barrel heat i ng, and compressi on
i n t hi s st age shoul d compl et e t he mel t i ng process. Two
i mport ant desi gn paramet ers are associ at ed wi t h t hi s zone.
a. The compressi on rat i o i s measured as t he channel dept h at
t he end of t hi s zone di vi ded by t he channel dept h i n t he f eed
zone. Di f f erent compounds or operat i ng pressures requi re
di f f erent compressi on rat i os.
b. The l engt h of t he compressi on zone af f ect s t he rat e of
compressi on. These t wo paramet ers wi l l be di f f erent f or
di f f erent compounds.
3. The met eri ng zone has a const ant channel dept h and pri mari l y
exi st s t o f urt her mi x mol t en resi n. The end resul t i s a smoot h
consi st ent mel t wi t h uni f orm t emperat ure.
4. In some processes, a de-gassi ng or devol at i zi ng sect i on i s
requi red. Thi s i s a short er zone t hat i mmedi at el y f ol l ows t he
compressi on zone (See f i gure 2) . Channel dept h i s suddenl y
i ncreased, and t he resul t i ng pressure drop causes a rel ease of
any gas, whi ch can be vent ed or drawn of f vi a vacuum pump.
The remai ni ng mel t i s re-compressed and met ered.
Figure 2Typical Feedscrews
Pl ast i c
Hopper
Dri ve
Indust ri al Cont rol
Screw
Ext ruder
Di e
Ext ruder
Pl ast i c
M at eri al
Downst ream
Equi pment
AC Pump Mot or
Basic Extruder
Ext ruder Dut y
DC or AC M ot or
Power
Transmi ssi on
Component s
Force Fed
M ot or
Breaker Pl at e
Fee section
Compression Metering
section
Helix Angle
Screw diameter
Channel =depthfeedsection
Lead
Channel =depth
meteringsection
Flight
Devolatizing(two-stage) screw
Three-zone screw
M echani cal screw desi gn al so requi res t he sel ect i on of hi gh-
grade mat eri al s and preci si on machi ni ng. The screw must f i t
t i ght l y i n t he barrel t o prevent excessi ve back-f l ow or drag f l ow of
resi n due t o excessi ve gaps bet ween t he screw f l i ght s and t he
barrel surf ace. It must not be so t i ght t hat i t cont act s t he barrel
surf ace i t sel f , causi ng grooves and ot her damagi ng ef f ect s.
As i f t he t i ght t ol erances were not enough of a chal l enge, some
mat eri al s requi re ext ra processi ng and are best handl ed i n a
t wi n-screw ext ruder. Here, t wo screws are t i ght l y mount ed i n a
"f i gure 8 " t ype barrel , and t he screw f l i ght s are desi gned such
t hat t hey avoi d gri ndi ng each ot her duri ng rot at i on. The screws
can be desi gned t o operat e co- or count er-current l y.
Co-current operat i on adds a degree of mi xi ng t o t he process and
woul d be advant ageous where, f or exampl e, green and bl ue
pel l et s need t o be mi xed as ext rusi on occurs t o get a mel t t hat
has an aqua hue. The resi n i s carri ed f rom t he f i rst screw t o t he
second bet ween each f l i ght .
Count er-current operat i on serves t o convey t he mel t i n a smoot h
predi ct abl e manner and hel ps el i mi nat e pressure pul si ng. Due t o
machi ni ng and operat i on demands, t hi s equi pment i s more
expensi ve t o bui l d and mai nt ai n t han si ngl e screw ext ruders, so i t
i s reserved f or speci al ext rudi ng needs.
Barrel Chamber
Thi s t hi ck-wal l ed st eel chamber t hat i s expect ed t o wi t hst and
hi gh pressures (~ 20,000 psi g), i s preci sel y machi ned f or a t i ght f i t
wi t h t he f eedscrew, and has a hardened st eel al l oy on i t s i nsi de
wal l t o prevent wear and corrosi on. Some barrel s wi l l al so have a
grooved f eed zone t o i ncrease t he f ri ct i onal f orces on t he resi n.
The barrel al so i s heat ed t o f aci l i t at e mel t i ng of t he resi n.
Al t hough t he maj or cont ri but or t o mel t i ng i s f ri ct i on, t he heat as
conduct ed t hrough t he barrel can serve as a "f i ne adj ust " or
verni er i n t emperat ure cont rol and energy i nput . El ect ri cal
resi st ance heat i ng i s a common met hod empl oyed. Advant ages
are t hat several t emperat ure zones can be set up wi t h mul t i pl e
el ement s, and t emperat ure prof i l es can be creat ed as mat eri al
requi rement s vary. When t hermal needs are not so compl ex,
st eam heat i ng vi a a j acket ed barrel chamber. A j acket ed chamber
uses cool i ng wat er t o prevent overheat i ng of t he mel t i n t he
vi ci ni t y of t he di e as wel l .
Dies
The openi ng t hat al l ows pl ast i cat ed mat eri al t o f orm part i cul ar
shapes i s al so a hi ghl y engi neered part . Di es are desi gned t o
compensat e f or ef f ect s of shri nkage when a mel t re-sol i di f i es,
t wo di mensi oned si ze adj ust ment s, and varyi ng rat es of sol i di f i ca-
t i on. Di es must be f ree f rom def ect s and scrat ches, ot herwi se t he
mel t coul d show t he def ect ' s pat t ern. The f l ow of mel t t o t he di e
t ypi cal l y f ol l ows a t apered pat h, wi t h t he di e havi ng a t hi ckness
associ at ed wi t h i t . (See f i gure 3) Thi s resul t s i n t he mel t
undergoi ng a pressure drop as i t exi t s t he di e, and t hi s prevent s
unwant ed bui l d-up at i rregul ar pl aces al ong t he di e, whi ch woul d
spoi l t he product .
Di es can t ake on a vari et y of shapes and have adj ust abl e
openi ngs. In t he case of f i l ament ext rusi on and ot hers, mul t i pl e
dupl i cat e di e pat t erns t o ext rude many st rands i n paral l el can be
f ound on a si ngl e di e.
Figure 3
Other Equipment
There are ot her part s of t he ext ruder t hat deserve a bri ef ment i on.
Di f f erent hoppers are used f or di f f erent purposes. Feed hoppers
hol d and suppl y resi ns t o t he f eedscrews. M ot or dri ven hel i cal
screws or vi brat ors hel p el i mi nat e any bri dgi ng or archi ng of t he
resi ns t hat prevent t he smoot h f l ow f rom t he hopper t o t he f eed
zone.
M i xi ng hoppers upst ream of t he f eed hoppers compound any
Adapter Die for square Ushape Die opening
needed pl ast i ci sers and f i l l ers t o t he requi red speci f i cat i ons.
M el t pumps can smoot h t he ef f ect s of pressure f l uct uat i ons t hat
ot herwi se woul d resul t i n uneven ext rusi ons and resul t i ng of f -
spec product s. These hel p out i n cases where mul t i pl e di es are on
a machi ne, and can be i ndi vi dual l y cl osed of f on t he f l y. The
downsi de of mel t pumps i s t hei r expense, pl us t hey are ext ra
movi ng part s t hat must be mai nt ai ned i n good condi t i on.
As an al t ernat i ve t o a mel t pump, t here i s a f eedscrew desi gn
vari at i on t hat adds an addi t i onal zone wi t h screw f l i ght s wi t h a
reverse pi t ch f rom t he ot her sect i ons. Thi s serves t o act as a
surge suppressor and i s i l l ust rat ed i n f i gure 4.
Figure 4
Power Transmission Equipment
As ment i oned bef ore, t he f eedscrew i s t he movi ng part and i t
must be dri ven. Operat i on i n a st eady and predi ct abl e manner i s
vi t al t o maki ng qual i t y ext rusi ons. As f ri ct i on represent s about
85% of t he energy used i n heat i ng resi ns, t hi s al so means t hat
t he power t ransmi ssi on equi pment must be capabl e of suppl yi ng
t he energy t o overcome t hi s f ri ct i on, part i cul arl y i f st art i ng f rom
rest or recovery f rom a mai nt enance out age.
Good speed cont rol i s ext remel y i mport ant t o assure t hat ade-
quat e resi n i s bei ng f ed t o t he process. However t he abi l i t y t o
mai nt ai n even pressures t o get consi st ent f l ow i s equal l y i mpor-
t ant . Good response t o t orque changes as wel l as st eady speed
cont rol of hi gh f ri ct i on l oads i s t he chal l enge.
Hi st ori cal l y, DC dri ves and mot ors have been t he i deal dri ves f or
ext rusi on. Thei r rel at i ve advant ages are l i st ed here.
DC dri ves and mot ors of f er wi de const ant t orque speed ranges
(20:1).
DC has been t he si mpl est choi ce of desi gn when consi deri ng
choi ces bet ween AC, DC or servos.
They of f er smal l er si zes at l arger horsepower rat i ngs (>60HP).
DC dri ves are easi l y ret rof i t t ed t o exi st i ng DC mot ors.
On t he t echnol ogy f ront , AC dri ves/ mot ors are comi ng i nt o t hei r
own as good ext ruder candi dat es. Wi t h t he cont i nual devel op-
ment of PWM t echnol ogy and more rugged AC mot or desi gns,
more and more ext ruder manuf act urers are l ooki ng f or AC sol u-
t i ons. AC dri ves/ mot ors of f er t he f ol l owi ng advant ages.
Dynami c response wi t h vect or operat i on. Recent desi gns
empl oy sensorl ess vect or operat i on and gi ve hi gh speed
response yet requi re no f eedback.
AC mot ors requi re mi ni mal mai nt enance (no brushes or
commut at ors) and are sui t abl e t o harsh envi ronment s.
(El evat ed t emperat ures, dust , vol at i l es, et c.)
M ot or desi gns f or ext ruder dut y uni t s f eat ure hi gh overl oad
capabi l i t i es and very wi de const ant t orque speed ranges.
Regardl ess of t he choi ce bet ween AC or DC f or an ext ruder,
Rel i ance El ect ri c has t he ri ght product s and t echnol ogi es t o pro-
vi de good sol ut i ons.
M i croprocessor-based regul at ors;
Easy-t o-conf i gure dri ves wi t h qui ck-st art capabi l i t i es;
Cont rol f rom any number of sources: l ocal , remot e, net work,
seri al l y t o a PC;
AC and DC mot ors t hat are speci f i cal l y desi gned as ext ruder
dut y; and
Easi l y modi f i ed wi t h a wi de vari et y of opt i onal ki t s avai l abl e f or
t hose ext ra speci al appl i cat i ons.
When i t comes t o ext ruders and t hei r appl i cat i on t echnol ogy,
Rel i ance El ect ri c has t he answers.
The supressor mi ni mi zes pressure surges by accept i ng or rej ect i ng
excess resi n f rom met eri ng sect i on.
Hopper
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El ect ri c Dri ves i nst ruct i on manual s precaut i ons shoul d be st udi ed pri or t o i nst al l at i on,
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