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The Process
Pro-file Extrusion of plastics materials is a widely used method of forming plastics materials. The extrusion process makes a continuous length of plastic whose cross section is constant and is thus able to manufacture long lengths of a product. This is ideal for such applications as pipes, curtain tracks and gaskets.
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The Plastic raw material is both melted and traversed along by the action of heated rotary screws in the extrusion process. An electric motor coupled to a hydraulic drive continuously turns a screw, which is contained in the machines barrel.
Plastic granules are fed into the hopper of the extruder and are drawn down into the screw. The barrel and screw are heated by external heating elements. As the plastic granules move along the screw they melt and are forced through a die which is located at the end of the barrel. The die contains the cross section of the profile of the extrusion required.
The extrusion die
The die contains the cross section of the profile of the extrusion required.
Anciliary Equipment
Profile extrusion depends more of ancillary equipment to shape and form the end product.
When the plastic profile exits the die, it is still molten. It is channelled into a water bath which contains sizing formers and guides. During its passage through this cooling bath, the plastic solidifies and takes on its final shape. The bath is constantly cooled by either the introduction of mains water, or a process chillier, in line, extracting the excess heat.
The still molten plastic coming out of the profile die has no strength. To ensure that the process has the correct process speed, Take Off Rollers, adjustable in speed, pull the solidified plastic through the cooling bath
Take Off Rollers control and coordinate the speed at which the plastic extrusion is drawn from the die.
The now formed profile extrusion needs to be cut to size to enable both transportation and to suit the application. Flexible extrusions are usually coiled by specialist coiling machines. Rigid extrusions are cut to length by either a saw or guillotine. If the extruded section of plastic to be cut is bulky, then a traversing saw cuts the extrusion. The length of both flexible and rigid extrusion is measured by a counter activated by a roller, bearing on the extrusion as it passes.