What key factors should be considered to optimize the extrusion process of plastics while balancing performance requirements and cost reduction?

In maximizing performance, or at least meeting performance requirements of extruded plastics as well as minimizing cost to extrude products it is important to understand the processing behavior of the different plastics. In producing the different extruded products certain plastics can be used. An understanding of factors such as their rheological to decomposition behaviors as well as problems that can develop provide information that will make it easier to extrude products .

Downstream of the die, the extrudate (melt) is calibrated, cooled and packaged by an array of ancillary auxiliary devices including vacuum calibrators, water tanks, cooling rolls, haul-offs, cutters, and winders (Chapter 18). Upstream of the die, a melt pump may be interposed between the extruder and the die to produce a more uniform extrudate. The exact selection and arrangement of these component parts of an extrusion system will depend on the end product and tolerance requirements that have to be met.

On leaving the extruder, the extrudate (melt) is drawn by a pulling action or other device, at which stage it is subject to cooling, usually by water and/or blown air device. This is an important aspect of downstream control if tight dimensional requirements exist or conservation of plastics is desired. The processor's target is to determine the tolerance required for the pull rate and to see that the downstream equipment meet the total line requirements. Even if tight dimensional requirements are not required, the probability is that better control of the pull speed will permit tighter tolerances so that a reduction in the material's output will occur resulting in lower product cost.