Plastic Extrusion Process Options
At our company, the plastic extrusion process is at the heart of our manufacturing, it’s in our name. We offer a range of extrusion methods to meet diverse industry needs, promising high-quality, custom solutions for our clients. Our commitment to meeting our clients’ needs motivates us to perfect every custom plastic extrusion we create. With over 100 years of experience, plastic extrusion manufacturing is second nature to us. We deliver superior products tailored to your specific applications!
Single Screw Extruder
The single screw extruder is the backbone of our production capabilities. This process involves a single rotating screw within a heated barrel, melting and pushing the plastic material through a die to form the desired profile. Our single screw extrusion lines are efficient and versatile, allowing us to produce a wide range of custom plastic profile extrusion and tubing with consistent quality.
Advantages:
- High efficiency for large volume production
- Cost-effective for standard plastic materials
- Versatile applications across multiple industries, such as automotive trim, medical plastic tubing, electrical cable insulation, consumer packaging, construction materials, and point-of-purchase displays
Process Overview:
- Material Feeding: Plastic pellets or granules are fed into the hopper of the extruder.
- Melting: The rotating screw pushes the material forward through a heated barrel, where it is gradually melted by both external heaters and the mechanical action of the screw.
- Mixing: The molten plastic is mixed and homogenized to create uniform consistency.
- Extrusion: The melted plastic is forced through a die, shaping it into the desired profile or tubing.
- Cooling: The extruded plastic is cooled, typically using a water bath or air cooling, to solidify it.
- Cutting: The solidified plastic is cut to the required lengths or further processed as needed.
Twin Screw Extruder
Our twin screw extruder process is great for handling complex and demanding applications. Utilizing two intermeshing screws, this process promises high-grade mixing and compounding of materials, which is ideal for producing high-performance and specialty plastic parts.
Advantages:
- Excellent mixing and material blending
- Superior control over the extrusion process
- Ideal for high-performance and specialty materials, such as thermoplastic elastomer, reinforced plastic with fiberglass or carbon fiber, flame-retardant compounds, conductive plastics, and bio-based plastics
Process Overview:
- Material Feeding: The twin screw extruder uses two intermeshing screws to feed material into the extruder.
- Melting and Mixing: The two screws melt and mix the plastic material together for thorough blending of any additives and fillers.
- Homogenization: The intermeshing screws provide intensive mechanical action, which results in a more uniform and homogeneous melt.
- Extrusion: The well-mixed and homogenized plastic is pushed through a die to form the desired profile.
- Cooling: The extruded material is cooled, typically through a water bath or air cooling system, to solidify the final product.
- Cutting: The solidified extruded plastic is cut to the required lengths or further processed according to specifications.
Extrusion Coating
Our extrusion coating process involves applying a layer of plastic onto a substrate, such as paper, fabric, or metal, to boost its properties. This method is essential for creating barrier layers, improving durability, and adding specific functionalities to the base material.
Advantages:
- Better surface properties
- Improved product durability
- Versatility in substrate materials, including polyethylene, polypropylene, EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate), polyethylene terephthalate, and polyamide
Process Overview:
- Material Feeding: Plastic pellets or granules are fed into the extruder hopper.
- Melting: The plastic material is melted in the extruder barrel by external heaters and the mechanical action of the screw.
- Extrusion: The molten plastic is forced through a flat die to form a thin, continuous film.
- Substrate Preparation: The substrate material, such as paper, fabric, or metal, is pre-treated (e.g., preheated or cleaned) for optimal adhesion of the plastic layer.
- Coating Application: The extruded plastic film is directly applied onto the moving substrate, which is typically moving on a roll. This application can be adjusted to control the thickness and uniformity of the coating.
- Lamination: The coated substrate may pass through pressure rollers to solidify proper adhesion and uniform coating.
- Cooling: The coated substrate is cooled, often using chill rolls, to harden the plastic layer.
- Winding: The coated material is wound onto rolls for storage, transportation, or further processing.
Contact Us Today To Experience A
Superior Plastic Extrusion Process
Contact us today to learn more about how our custom plastic profile extrusion processes can meet your specific needs and help your business thrive. Our expertise using our plastic extruder means you receive the best possible customized results for your plastic product projects.