Exploring Plastics Extrusion
Participants will gain an appreciation of the whole extrusion process enabling them to optimize their processes, troubleshoot and avoid problems. Please note: This course will concentrate on the single screw extrusion process, both within the extruder and downstream. Areas such as compounding (single and twin screw) rheology; pipe extrusion, film; sheet; cable and PVC profiles will be addressed in short modules.
Who Will Benefit?
Process/production engineers; technical managers; personnel involved in quality control; customer/technical services.
Those responsible for selling or purchasing extrusion equipment.
Course objectives and learning outcomes:
As a result of attending this course delegates will be able to:
- Understand the basic extrusion process
- recognise the different extrusion techniques
- Identify the most common faults to be found in extrusion
- Design improved laboratory (R&D) projects with a view to scaling up to production
- Understand why different polymers perform differently during extrusion.
- Make informed choices when purchasing equipment
Benefits will be:
- better product quality
- improved efficiency of production
- quicker resolution of process problems
- wider understanding of extrusion processes
- more informed choices when purchasing equipment
- improved communications with suppliers and customer companies.
Attendees will learn:
- The Basic Extrusion Process - What are we aiming to achieve?
- The various elements of the extrusion process
- The theory behind feeding, melting and pumping
- Critical aspects of design, choice and purchase of equipment
- The essential differences between single and twin screw extrusion
- Important elements of mixing in theory and practice
- How to scale up both single and twin screw extrusion processes
- How different end products are produced
- An approach to trouble shooting with solutions to common problems
Course Content
- The Basic Extrusion Process - What are we trying to achieve? Densification, Mixing, Compounding, Reinforcement, Reactive Processing, or the production of a particular shape.
- Extrusion Theory - Feeding, Melting, and Pumping processes in single and twin screw machines, and the energy balance of the process.
- Rheology- its influence on the extrusion process.
- Extrusion Design - Aspects of design, choice and purchase of equipment.
- Twin Screw Extrusion - Different types of twin screw, their uses and compounding optimisation
- Mixing - Various mixing techniques exist, add on mixing heads, barrier screws and modular kneading elements.
- Scale-up - Sizing of a machine from laboratory trials, scale-up, and choice of equipment.
- Downstream- Compound, pipe, film, sheet, cable sheathing, profiles.
- Trouble shooting - Fault finding, practical solutions to common problems, i.e. probable causes of surging, melt fracture, etc., difficulties encountered in handling rework
- Materials, feeding systems,etc.
- Practical Demonstration Practical demonstrations will be used to illustrate aspects of the course.
Course Presenters
Jon Lea- Consultant, Smithers Rapra, Colin Chilles, Process Technologist, Smithers Rapra, Mat Cox, Process Technologist, Smithers Rapra
Discounts given for multiple registrations:
- 10% discount for 2 delegates registering
- 15% discount for 3 or more delegates registering