Extrusion allows the conversion of raw polymeric material

Extrusion allows the conversion of raw polymeric material (in the form of pellets) using three main steps: melting, forming, and cooling. Among these, the first one represents the most energy-intensive. The primary consumers of electrical energy in extrusion plants are motors and heating devices. Barlow reported that extrusion plant motors consume approximately 33% of the total electrical energy supplied. They highlight the importance of optimizing motor efficiency and exploring alternative energy sources to reduce energy consumption and improve overall sustainability in the extrusion industry. Sfeir analyzed the possible improvements of replacing alternating current motors with direct current motors on an extrusion line and found that AC motors can save significant energy compared to DC motors. Despite AC motors' higher initial capital cost, replacing outdated DC motors with new vector-controlled AC motor drives can lead to substantial long-term advantages.