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Plastic Moulding - Custom Plastic Extrusion, Rubber Extrusion, Continuous Plastic Sections
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Extrusion of plastics works much the same way as extrusion of metals. The polymer being extruded is heated until soft and pushed through a die to produce a continuos cross section moulding.
Unlike injection moulding where the process makes individual identical components, the plastic extrusion process makes a continuous length of plastic with a constant cross section. This cross section is called the profile. A few examples of plastic extrusions or rubber extrusions are hosepipes, curtain tracks, plastic sheet, plastic film, door seals and building products.
The plasic extrusion process works by an electric motor coupled to a hydraulic drive continuously turns a screw, which is contained in the machines barrel. Plastic granules are fed into the hopper of the extruder and are drawn down into the screw. The barrel and screw are heated by external heating elements. As the plastic granules move along the screw they melt and are forced through a die which is located at the end of the barrel. The die contains the cross section of the profile of the plastic extrusion or rubber extrusion required.
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