In the extrusion process, polymers is propelled continuously along a screw through region of high temperature and pressure where it is melted and compacted, and finally forced through a die shaped to give the final object.
Extrusion is used to make three main types of products:
1. Standard frofile shapes such as rod, pipe, sheet, and irregular cross scections.
2. Extrusion around wire and cable as a protective coating.
3. Flim to be used alone and as coating for paper, cloth, amd other surfaces.
Each of these types can be made in varying sizes depending upon the size of the machine. Extruders are designated as to size by the diameters of the rotating screw. They range from large industrial extruders with screw diameters up to 6 in. or 8 in., down to the labotatory model with a 3/4 in. diameter screw. Extrusion is used only for the processing of the thermoplastic resins.
The scerw of an extruder is divided into serval sections, each with a specific purpose. The feed section picks up yje finely divided polymer from a hopper and propels in into the main part of the extruder. In the cpmpression section, the loosely packed feed is compacted, melted, and formed into a continuous stream of molten plastic. Some external heat must be applied, but much is generated by friction. The metering section contributes to uniform flow rate, required to produce uniform diamensions in the finished product, and builds up sufficient pressure in the polymer melt to force the plastic through the rest of the extruder and out of the die. Since viscous polymer melts can be mixed only by the application of shearing force, and additional working section may be needed before the die.
Modern trends in exturder usage include the twin-screw or multiple-screw extruder, in which two screws move side by side to opposite direction, providing more working of the melt, and the vented extruder, having an opening or vent at some point along the screw that can be opened or led to vacuum to extract volatiles from the polymer melt. Glory plastics company in China not only provides plastic injection molding solutions but also have plastics extrision molding services upon request.