Plastics Extrusion

A high-volume production process in which raw plastic pellets are melted and formed into a continuous profile. The process starts by feeding plastic material, such as pellets, granules, flakes, or powders, from a hopper into the extruder barrel. The plastic material is gradually melted by the mechanical energy generated by a turning screw and by heaters arranged along the outside of the barrel. The molten polymer eventually travels the length of the barrel where it is forced through a die, which shapes the polymer into the desired form before hardening during the cooling process.