Extrusion: The Definitive Processing Guide and Handbook

Why is it important to get to equilibrium and how long does it take? Are there problems running polypropylene profiles on a single screw extruder? Does the job involve compounding color concentrates on a corotating twin screw extruder? This unique reference work is designed to aid operators, engineers, and managers in quickly answering such practical day-to-day questions in extrusion processing. This comprehensive volume is divided into 7 Parts. It contains detailed reference data on such important operating conditions as temperatures, start-up procedures, shear rates, pressure drops, and safety. This reference is a practical guide to extrusion bringing together both the equipment and materials processing aspects. It provides basic and advanced topics about the thermoplastics processing in the extruder, for reference and training.

Parts 1 – 3, emphasize the fundamentals, for operators and engineers, of polymeric materials extrusion processing in single and twin screw extruders. Parts 4 – 7 treat advanced topics including troubleshooting, auxiliary equipment, and coextrusion for operators, engineers, and managers. Extensive applications in Part 7 cover such contemporary areas as compounding, blown film, extrusion blow molding, coating, foam, and reprocessing. Each chapter includes review topics.

• Clear, concise, and thorough discussion of the equipment and materials foundations of extrusion processes, suitable for both operators and engineers.

• Comprehensive yet practical treatment of the advanced topics of auxiliary equipment, troubleshooting, and coextrusion, suitable for operators, engineers, and managers, not available in any other currently published reference works on extrusion processes.

• The seven parts of this book are written to be self contained modules, reducing cross reference searching for important information. Parts 1 and 2 both contain critical coverage of extrusion safety issues.

PART 1
Single Screw Extrusion
Extrusion Process
Extrusion Safety
Equipment
Plastic Behavior
Screw Design
Processing Conditions
Scale-up
Shear Rates, Pressure Drops, and Other Extruder Calculations
Glossary

Twin Screw Extrusion
Extrusion Process
Extrusion Safety
Equipment: Corotating, Counter-rotating, Non-intermeshing, and Conical
Plastic Behavior
Screw Design
Shear Rates, and Other Twin Screw Calculations

Polymeric Materials
Definition and Identification of Different Polymer Types
Polymerization Mechanism
Polymer Types and Structure
Effect of Molecular Weight on Extrusion
Crystalline versus Amorphous Polymers
Rheology
Physical Properties
Polymer Processing

PART 2
Troubleshooting the Extrusion Process
Problem Solving
Five Step Process
Design of Experiments
Quality
Troubleshooting: Mechanical, Product, Sheet, Coextrusion, Pipe/Profile, Blown Film, Cast Film

Auxiliary Equipment
Feed Systems/Blenders
Gravimetric/Volumetric Feeders
Resin Dryers
Gear Pumps
Screen Changers
Granulators/Pulverizers
Screw Cleaning
Purge Materials

Coextrusion
Objective of Coextrusion
Equipment
Material Consideration

Extrusion Applications
Compounding
Sheet/Film
Blown Film
Profile
Pipe/Tubing
Wire Coating
Monofilament
Extrusion Blow Molding
Coating/Lamination
Foam
Coextrusion
Reprocessing