Profile Extrusion Equipment

Profiles may consist of an individual material or multiple products. Single material profiles make use of one extruder while multiple material profiles require more than one extruder to feed materials right into a central die. These procedures can utilize solitary twin-screw or screw extruders. One screw machines are focused on pelletized applications or materials requiring less accurate mixing. Twin-screw extruders are often focused on powdered materials or where more intensive mixing is required. These extruders can be of a number of sizes from several pounds per hour of outcome up to a lot of money per hour output according to the application.

Co-Extrusion
Secondary extruders are called ��co-extruders�� and will also be many different sizes but normally fall toward small end of the spectrum and are normally smaller compared to the key processing extruders. The real number of co-extruders used is limited only by the space in the processing line. Some processes can cheat by utilizing the same co-extruder for multiple program requirements (as long as the materials required is identical the co-extruder can be utilized for more than one location. (A good example of this can be stripes externally of drinking straws. If the strips are the same color, one machine can be used for all the strips). Co-extruders could be mounted on the floor or suspended over the die head as required.

Die Tooling
Die tooling is application specific and can be considered a simple metallic plate with a good hole found in it for the materials to flow through, or a sophisticated multiple components affair designed for advanced flow qualities and precision sizing. Dies are attached either to the main extruder with the co-extruders connecting into it directly, or the die is without question on a ground stand with extruders piped to it. The Die tooling is going to be oriented in one of two directions is relation to the primary extruder. The directions will be ��inline�� and ��crosshead��. The inline procedure utilizes a move that follows the extruder course and the die is definitely connected with flow along the way direction. The crosshead process utilizes a flow that is at an angle to the circulation of the extruder. For profile extrusion this would end up being at a ninety degree angle to the stream. (Crosshead processes are necessary for any product requiring a component to be inserted into the extrudate for coating. Such as wire, pul-truded goods, etc.

Downstream equipment
Downstream equipment is sectioned off into three areas of the process: 1) cooling/sizing, 2) pulling, 3) cut/coil/takeoff. Below are the main styles of equipment to achieve these process requirements.

Cooling/Sizing Equipment
The right part must be cooled to maintain the desired shape. This equipment falls into a few sub groups. Some processes require little impact to do the job. Others require extensive interaction at this stage to attain the desired merchandise. Cooling/sizing equipment falls into a few types:

Air Cooling
Water Cooling
Water Cooling and Vacuum Sizing