Extrusion is an established economic process that has been shaping plastic products for years. It is a fundamental technology used in almost all plastic production. For companies that rely on plastic components, understanding the basic principles of tube extrusion offers significant advantages. Let’s delve deeper into the subject.
What The Extruder Does
Imagine turning raw plastic or even recycled materials into perfectly shaped tubes! This is the magic of an extruder, a specially designed machine that melts plastics, typically powder or pellets. The material can be fresh plastic or, in an increasingly popular ecological approach, previously used objects that have been dismantled for recycling.
The plastic then enters a heated barrel, where it melts. At the same time, a rotating screw mixes the material to a uniform consistency and pushes the melted plastic into the mould. Once the mould is filled, the plastic is quickly cooled, usually with water, to solidify it into its final form. Although tube production is a popular application, extruders can create a wide range of shapes using different moulds, including those used in WPC profile extrusion.
Screw Options
One crucial aspect of an extruder is the screw design, which plays a significant role in the quality and efficiency of the final product. It’s worth noting that there are different types of screw mechanisms on extruders.
The simplest option uses a single screw inside the cylinder, offering a reliable and economical solution. However, for applications requiring a more complete mix, twin-screw extruders come into play. These machines use two interconnected screws that greatly improve the mixing process. The type of raw material you intend to use plays a key role in choosing the most suitable screw design for your extruder.
Why Use Tube Extrusion?
Tube extrusion offers numerous advantages over other methods of plastic production, making it an advantageous choice for many companies.
Here are some of the main benefits:
- Comprehensive control and monitoring: pipe extrusion allows precise control and monitoring of every stage of the production process.
- Economical solution: Pipe extrusion is generally more economical than other plastic production methods. This is because it allows tubes to be produced in-house, eliminating outsourcing costs and associated surcharges.
- Flexibility and adaptability: Pipe extrusion offers great flexibility in the production of customised pipes. Tubes of different sizes, shapes, thicknesses and materials can be created to meet specific application needs.
- Waste reduction: pipe extrusion minimises material waste. Production waste can be easily reused in the next extrusion process,
The Personal Touch
Naturally, being in charge of your own plastic extruder means you can add a personal touch. This could be a logo in the mould, a steak of colour, or virtually anything else you can think of. That’s how good plastic extrusion is!