Single screw extruders are the workhorse of many extrusion processors. Rely on it every day to keep pumping out extruded plastic products. They lead on-time shipments to meet your hard-earned customer needs. Therefore, it is important for extrusion processors to consider and maintain the output of their extruders.
First, this requires an understanding of the material transport within these machines. Here, surface friction plays an important role. High friction along the barrel and low friction along the rotating screw allows the material to move forward. Under these conditions, the polymer slides over and over the screw. This further melts and mixes in each zone. It then leaves the barrel at an output rate to support the desired line speed.
Also consider your slotted barrel feed section and highly polished, low friction coated extruder screw. They complement opposing frictional forces, providing more consistent extruder output and improved material metering. Negatively changing the desired friction properties also has a direct effect on the extruder output. Over time, output and eventual operational efficiency may be lost.
As residue builds up, a layered effect on the surface may appear. If left unchecked, the situation will gradually worsen. It can be hung or wrapped from the material, all the way to complete loss of output. This happens because of improper maintenance of the screw and barrel surfaces. In short, ignoring or underestimating the need for cleaning machines can cost you.