Jim Frankland

Jim Frankland President

Extrusion: Barrier Screws: Metering Section or Not?

A barrier screw without a metering section can reduce output and increase melt temperature.

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dies

Extrusion: Why There Are No Truly Universal Dies

Flow characteristics of different polymers vary considerably. So while adjustment features are available, for the most part dies must be designed for an individual polymer.

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Extrusion: Understanding Weld Failures

Hard-surfacing failures without evidence of burrs indicate possible weld bond issues.

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Extrusion: How Hopper Crammers Can Help Feeding

A crammer can assist the flow of certain polymers into the extruder. But the design is not universal and very material dependent. Here’s what you need to know.

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best practices

Extrusion: The Challenges of Extruding Highly Filled Polymers

These materials require screw changes and modifications in upstream and downstream equipment and operating procedures.

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screws

Extrusion: The Role of Polymer Density in Screw Design

Density affects the mass flow rate, and energy transfer is based on mass, not volume. As a result, polymer density enters into practically every calculation in a screw design.

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Extrusion: The Facts About Barrel-Temperature Override

Cooling the barrel more may extract heat from the barrel, but not necessarily from the process. Here’s why.

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best practices

Extrusion: The Importance of Proper Barrel Supports

Supports that allow the barrel to expand and contract easily will prevent alignment issues. Examine them periodically for proper operation, particularly if you’re experiencing excessive wear.

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Extrusion Cooling: It’s All About Turbulence

Regardless of what you are extruding, in order to maximize cooling you need to generate turbulence at the heat-exchange surface.

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Sharper Dies Make for Smoother Extrusions

Dies that have a radius at the exit will result in poorer surface finish.

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Sheet Extrusion

Sizing the Barrier Gap

Here’s a less complex way to properly size the barrier gap for barrier screws.

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How ‘Hydro Wedges’ Reduce Screw Wear

Using them only in the melting section provides for greater design freedom and negates the impact these devices can have on output and melt temperature.

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