Jim Frankland President

best practices 22 Feb 2015

EXTRUSION: Are Grooved-Feed Extruders Right for You?

In specific circumstances, this design can increase output and reduce melt temperature. But grooved feed throats are not for every application.

Extrusion Know How 27 Jan 2015

EXTRUSION: Avoid General ‘Pump Ratios’ On Two-Stage Screws

Instead, rely on basic data and calculations to determine the proper depth of the first and second metering sections

best practices 29 Dec 2014

EXTRUSION: About Your ‘General-Purpose’ Dies

There is no such thing. While dies can be adjusted to provide some flexibility, the fact is they are optimized for one specific output of one particular polymer.

best practices 24 Nov 2014

Understanding Solids-Bed Breakup in Barrier Screws

Barrier screws all but eliminate problems associated with solids-bed breakup. But if they do occur, tremendous pressures can develop, causing screw wear.

Extrusion Know How 23 Oct 2014

EXTRUSION: Why Bother to Chrome Plate Your Screws?

It doesn’t add that much to the overall cost and can improve performance and facilitate maintenance. So the better question is: Why not?

best practices 22 Sep 2014

EXTRUSION: Double Flights Are Not a Cure-All

There are certain applications where double-flighted feed sections make sense, and others where they don’t.

Pipe, Profile & Tubing Extrusion 25 Aug 2014

EXTRUSION: Why Barrier Screws & Rigid PVC Don’t Always Mix

RPVC’s somewhat unusual melting mechanism makes it unsuited to traditional barrier type designs.

Commodity Resins 28 Jul 2014

EXTRUSION: Processing Rigid PVC? Know Your Rheology

Before choosing and sizing extruders for running rigid vinyl, it is wise to bone up on the viscosity behavior of the material.

best practices 19 Jun 2014

EXTRUSION: When Internal Screw Cooling Makes Sense

Internal screw cooling could help you solve solids-feeding and burning problems.

Extrusion Know How 21 May 2014

EXTRUSION: What’s the Right Feed Throat Temperature?

Selecting the proper one is critical to the process.

Extrusion Know How 23 Apr 2014

EXTRUSION: Effect of the Screw Flight On Melt Temperature, Energy Use

So-called rules of thumb regarding the design of flight clearance and width do not consider the temperature effect, both from the point of view of melt temperature and energy efficiency.

Extrusion Know How 21 Mar 2014

A Better Way to Balance Die Flow

Use temperature adjustments before making any mechanical tweaks.

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