How to Process Plastic Extrusion
- 1). Feed raw plastic pellets into the feed hopper. Depending on the type of plastic, the pellets may need drying before processing. The resin supplier can indicate if this is necessary, as well as give a general range of process conditions for the plastic.
- 2). Warm up the extruder until it reaches the desired temperature. Set the proper screw speed per the material you are processing.
- 3). Extrude the plastic from the nozzle of the the extruder through a die that is shaped to give the desired profile.
- 4). Allow the extrusion to continue on a conveyor belt or a roller top table until it is the desired length and is cool enough to cut. In some cases, the extruded plastic may pass through a water bath to speed cooling, but this is subject to the part's profile and the material being extruded. Consult a plastics engineer for specific needs in this area.
- 5). Cut the plastic to the desired length and continue the process for the required quantity of parts.
