Do you have a new project that you are considering for plastic extrusion? Understanding a bit about the process and how it works will help you to determine if extrusion is right for you. Here are four things that you need to know about the extrusion process to know if it is right for you:
1. The process starts with choosing the plastic materials for the extrusion process. Before an extrusion can take place, the correct material needs to be chosen that will work best with the design and the rigors of the environment that the plastic will need to work in. For instance, plastic extrusions for the aerospace industry used under high pressure are exposed to different stresses than IV lines that are extruded for the medical industry.
2. The plastic may start as small beads, but heat and pressure change that very quickly. Plastic added to an extrusion line is exposed to heat and pressure in order to prepare it for extrusion. There are times when only pressure is used, but more commonly, a little heat can help the material to more quickly soften in a uniform fashion.
3. A die creates the final shape. Once the plastic has been softened, the stream of plastic is pushed through a metal die, which creates the form that is needed for the project.
4. Cutting usually happens while the product is still warm. The individual parts are cut while the plastic is still warmed. Warm products are a bit bigger than their final cooled shape, so they may be cut a bit longer in order to meet tolerances and specifications.