Extrusion

Overview

• Extrusion is one of the cheapest

methods available for producing many
common plastic products such as
– Films
– Filaments
– Tubes
– Sheets
– Pipes
– Rods
– Hoses
– Straps
All in contiuous lengths
 Process Description

• The profile of a continuous extrudate is

obtained by employing a suitable die.

• The molten plastic under suitable

conditions is forced through the die
orifice which imparts the desired profile
to the extrudate
 Process Description…

• In this machine the compounded plastic material is fed through the

hopper as either powder or granules into a cylinder having provision
for electrical heating for softening the material.
• The hot plastic charge is further worked through the cylinder by a
helically flighted revolving screw.
• The temperature of the plastic material rises owing to the frictional
heat produced by the compression of the charge between the
rotating screw and the cylinder surface.
Extrusion Machine
Extrusion Machine
 Process Description…
During its journey from the hopper to the die,
the plastic material passes through distinct
zones named feed zone, compression zone and
metering zone. Each zone contributes in its
own way to the overall extrusion process

The feed zone, for instance, receives the

charge from the hopper and sends it over
to the compression zone. No heating
takes place in the feed zone.

In the compression zone, however, the

powdered charge melts due to heat conducted
from the heating elements and is compressed
by the working of the screw.

The pasty molten material is then sent to the metering zone, where it
acquires a constant flow rate, imparted by the helical flight of the
screw.
The pressure build-up in this section enables the polymer melt to
enter the die and emerge out of it with the desired profile.
 Process Description…
• Due to high viscous nature of some polymers, however, one
more region called the working zone may also be required
wherein the polymer could be subjected to high shearing forces
for effective mixing.

• The extruded material of the required profile emerging from the

die is quite hot and has to be cooled rapidly to avoid deshaping.

• The extrudate is accordingly carried over a conveyor belt

through a tub containing cold water. During this process, the
material dissipated heat to the water and gets set.

• Cold air blast and cold water spray can be used for cooling.

• The product formed is cut to the desired length or wound on to

rolls.
 Process Description…

The extrusion process is also used for

coating wires and cables with PVC or
rubber and for coating roll-formed metal
strips with suitable thermoplastics.
 Types of Extrusion
Single screw

Twin screw
co-rotating, counter rotating
Extrusion Screw

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Extrusion Screw…

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Extrusion Screw…
Extrusion Screw…
Screws for various processes
Melting stages

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Screw Wear

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Extrusion Die

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Extrusion Die…

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Extrusion Die…

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Critical operation parameters

• Melt temperature
• Melt pressure
• Barrel temperature
• Die temperature
• Heater power
• Screw speed
• Line speed
• Finished products dimension
• Cooling rate
 Extrusion problems

• Melt fracture
• Sharkskin or alligator hide
• Uneven flow and surging
• Degradation
• Poor mixing
• Contamination
• Bubbles in extrudate
 Sharkskin or alligator hide

* Extrudate is rough with lines running perpendicular to the flow

direction

* Causes tearing of the surface of the melt.

> Occurs because tensile stresses in Laminar flow exceed the

tensile stress of the material causing a crack.

- Flow profile with centre of material flowing too fast compared to

the edges where the walls hinder the flow.

- As material exits die, edge material has to speed up to the

center velocity, causing fracture and sharkskin effect.

> Bambooing occurs when the outer edge material snaps back
to relive stresses

> Orange peel (Small dimples) can occur when differences is

small between applied stresses and tensile strength.

Effects are relieved by:

Heating the resin or heating the die,
Reducing pressure or reducing speed of extruder
Broad molecular weight distribution

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 Materials consideration

• Most thermoplastics
• Extrusion grade
• High MW, low MFI <1
• Broad MWD
• Melt strength
• Some materials (like PVC) need lubricant
• Density differences can cause problems
like Fiber breaking
 Applications

• Compounding

• Profile

• A number of extrusion
based processes
Application : Extrusion process

 Profile
 Pipe & tubing
 Wire coating
 Sheet & flat film
 Blown film
 Coating
 Calendaring
 Fiber spinning
 Co extrusion, …