Worldwide, extrusion lines successfully process more plastics into prod ucts than other processes by consuming at least 36 wt% of all plastics. They continue to find practical solutions for new products and/ or prob lems to meet new product performances. This book, with its practical industry reviews, is a unique handbook (the first of its kind) that covers over a thousand of the potential combina tions of basic variables or problems with solutions that can occur from up-stream to down-stream equipment. Guidelines are provided for maxi mizing processing efficiency and operating at the lowest possible cost. It has been prepared with an awareness that its usefulness will depend greatly upon its simplicity and provision of essential information. It should be useful to: 0) those already extruding and desiring to obtain additional information for their line and/ or prOVide a means of reviewing other lines that can provide their line with operating improvements; (2) those processing or extruding plastics for the first time; (3) those consider ing going into another extrusion process; (4) those desiring additional information about employing the design of various products more effi ciently, with respect to both performance and cost; (5) those contemplat ing entering the business of extrusion; (6) those in new venture groups, materials development, and/ or market development; (7) those in disci plines such as nonplastics manufacturers, engineers, designers, quality control, financial, and management; and (8) those requiring a textbook on extrusion in trade schools and high schools or colleges.

This review describes the changes in the industry over the last 5 years, concentrating on the screw extrusion process where the extruded product has a constant cross-section. Film and sheet production and pultrusion are not included in this review. Products and applications are reviewed in detail and major advances such as computer control, materials and speed and size issues are also covered. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database provides useful references for further reading.

The second edition of Extrusion is designed to aid operators, engineers, and managers in extrusion processing in quickly answering practical day-to-day questions. The first part of the book provides the fundamental principles, for operators and engineers, of polymeric materials extrusion processing in single and twin screw extruders. The next section covers advanced topics including troubleshooting, auxiliary equipment, and coextrusion for operators, engineers, and managers. The final part provides applications case studies in key areas for engineers such as compounding, blown film, extrusion blow molding, coating, foam, and reprocessing. This practical guide to extrusion brings together both equipment and materials processing aspects. It covers basic and advanced topics, for reference and training, in thermoplastics processing in the extruder. Detailed reference data are provided on such important operating conditions as temperatures, start-up procedures, shear rates, pressure drops, and safety. - A practical guide to the selection, design and optimization of extrusion processes and equipment - Designed to improve production efficiency and product quality - Focuses on practical fault analysis and troubleshooting techniques

Offering complete and in-depth data and information on plastics extrusion, this practical handbook presents the technology of the subject rather than the theory. Presents an overview of extrusion technology as applied to the operation of extrusion systems and the design of tooling and equipment for use in the process. Provides basic technical information on the behavior of polymer and plastics materials in the extrusion process. Contains tool descriptions that provide a basis for the analysis of existing product lines as examples for the design of new systems. Includes illustrations of and background material on control systems for the extruder and extrusion process. Fundamentals of the Extrusion Process. Extruder Design, Construction and Operation. Extrusion Dies for Specific Product Lines. Controlling the Extrusion Process. Heat Transfer and Heat Content Considerations. Downstream Equipment and Auxiliary Units for Extrusion Lines. Coextrusion and Dual-Extrusion Technology. Extrusion of Cellular Plastics Products. Extrusion System Design and Integration. On-Line and Computer Control of the Extrusion Process. Plant Design and Operations. Extrusion Products and Processes. Glossary. Index.

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 û 3, emphasize the fundamentals, for operators and engineers, of polymeric materials extrusion processing in single and twin screw extruders. Parts 4 û 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.

Now updated, this industry standard provides information on the aspects and processes of extrusion technology, including design, construction, and operation of extrusion lines. Well-known experts in various fields of extrusion have contributed to this book. As a reference book it will undoubtedly prove a considerable benfit to engineers involved with the extrusion process. “The presentation of this book is excellent and the quantity of information is immense.” Applied Mechanics Review “... this book belongs on the bookshelf of every engineer, operations supervisor and maintenance manager. It is also invaluable for plastic engineering students at all levels.” Polymer News “ ... on a value for money basis it is outstanding.” Plastics & Rubber Weekly

This definitive book provides a comprehensive account of the full range of dies used for extrusion of plastics and elastomers. The distinctive features of the various types of dies are described in detail. Expert advice on the configuration of dies is given, and the possibilities of computer-aided design, as well as its limitations, are demonstrated. Fundamentals and computational procedures are clearly explained so that no special prior knowledge of the subject is required. The mechanical configuration, handling, and maintenance of extrusion dies are described. Calibration procedures for pipes and profiles are also discussed. This book was written for plastics engineers who need daily support in their practical work in industry and science, as well as for students preparing for their professional life. The 4th edition is brought up to date with several important additions, including coverage of multilayer (>15 layer) dies, melt encapsulation, and simulation tools (rheological/thermal CFD simulations).

Initially published "to bridge the gap between theory and practice in extrusion," this 5th edition of Polymer Extrusion continues to serve the practicing polymer engineer and chemist, providing the theoretical and the practical tools for successful extrusion operations. In its revised and expanded form, it also incorporates the many new developments in extrusion theory and machinery over the last years. Contents · Different Types of Extruders · Extruder Hardware · Instrumentation and Control · Fundamental Principles · Important Polymer Properties · Functional Process Analysis · Extruder Screw Design · Die Design · Twin Screw Extruders · Troubleshooting Extruders · Modeling and Simulation of the Extrusion Process

Troubleshooting extrusion problems is one of the most challenging tasks in extrusion operations, requiring a good understanding of the extrusion process and the material properties, good instrumentation, good analysis tools, and a systematic and logical approach. This book addresses all issues crucial in extrusion troubleshooting. Additionally, it includes industrial case studies, richly illustrated with photographs and photomicrographs, used to provide exemplary approaches to efficient problem analysis and problem solving. The interconnectivity between the different relevant knowledge areas such as materials engineering, processing technology, and product development is emphasized. This revised third edition comprises a very significant update, with a great deal of new content, especially focusing on additional case studies as well as new sections on collection and interpretation of extrusion process data, rotational rheometry, the smartphone, how screw design can affect extruder performance, melt temperature variation, recent research on automatic optimization of extruder barrel temperatures, process signal analysis using Fast Fourier Transform, among other topics.

Thoroughly revised edition of the classic text on polymer processing The Second Edition brings the classic text on polymer processing thoroughly up to date with the latest fundamental developments in polymer processing, while retaining the critically acclaimed approach of the First Edition. Readers are provided with the complete panorama of polymer processing, starting with fundamental concepts through the latest current industry practices and future directions. All the chapters have been revised and updated, and four new chapters have been added to introduce the latest developments. Readers familiar with the First Edition will discover a host of new material, including: * Blend and alloy microstructuring * Twin screw-based melting and chaotic mixing mechanisms * Reactive processing * Devolatilization--theory, mechanisms, and industrial practice * Compounding--theory and industrial practice * The increasingly important role of computational fluid mechanics * A systematic approach to machine configuration design The Second Edition expands on the unique approach that distinguishes it from comparative texts. Rather than focus on specific processing methods, the authors assert that polymers have a similar experience in any processing machine and that these experiences can be described by a set of elementary processing steps that prepare the polymer for any of the shaping methods. On the other hand, the authors do emphasize the unique features of particular polymer processing methods and machines, including the particular elementary step and shaping mechanisms and geometrical solutions. Replete with problem sets and a solutions manual for instructors, this textbook is recommended for undergraduate and graduate students in chemical engineering and polymer and materials engineering and science. It will also prove invaluable for industry professionals as a fundamental polymer processing analysis and synthesis reference.