EXTRUSION OF PLASTICS

Q: EXTRUSION OF PLASTICS

EXTRUSION OF PLASTICS Materials such as polystyrene, nylon, polypropylene and polythene can be used in a process called extrusion. These are thermoplastics - this means when they are heated and then pressured in a mould they can be formed into different shapes and sections A machine used to extrude materials is very similar to the injection moulding machine . A motor turns a thread which feeds granules of plastic through a heater. The granules melt into a liquid which is forced through a die, forming a long 'tube like' shape. The extrusion is then cooled and forms a solid shape. The shape of the die determines the shape of the tube. The animation below shows a close up of the steel die. The hole in its centre is a hexagon. This means that the fluid plastic forms a hexagonal section when it is forced through the hole. Dies can be manufactured to almost any section / shape, including tubes. Below are examples of the type of shapes (sections) that can be extruded using an extrusion machine.

Question

Accepted Answer

EXTRUSION OF PLASTICS

Materials such as polystyrene, nylon, polypropylene and polythene can be used in a process called extrusion. These are thermoplastics - this means when they are heated and then pressured in a mould they can be formed into different shapes and sections

A machine used to extrude materials is very similar to the injection moulding machine. A motor turns a thread which feeds granules of plastic through a heater. The granules melt into a liquid which is forced through a die, forming a long 'tube like' shape. The extrusion is then cooled and forms a solid shape. The shape of the die determines the shape of the tube.

The animation below shows a close up of the steel die. The hole in its centre is a hexagon. This means that the fluid plastic forms a hexagonal section when it is forced through the hole. Dies can be manufactured to almost any section / shape, including tubes.

Below are examples of the type of shapes (sections) that can be extruded using an extrusion machine.