Extruding Plastics, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1998 A practical processing handbook

Worldwide, extrusion lines successfully process more plastics into prod­ ucts than other processes by consuming at least 36 wt% of all plastics. They continue to find practical solutions for new products and/ or prob­ lems to meet new product performances. This book, with its practical industry reviews, is a unique handbook (the first of its kind) that covers over a thousand of the potential combina­ tions of basic variables or problems with solutions that can occur from up-stream to down-stream equipment. Guidelines are provided for maxi­ mizing processing efficiency and operating at the lowest possible cost. It has been prepared with an awareness that its usefulness will depend greatly upon its simplicity and provision of essential information. It should be useful to: 0) those already extruding and desiring to obtain additional information for their line and/ or prOVide a means of reviewing other lines that can provide their line with operating improvements; (2) those processing or extruding plastics for the first time; (3) those consider­ ing going into another extrusion process; (4) those desiring additional information about employing the design of various products more effi­ ciently, with respect to both performance and cost; (5) those contemplat­ ing entering the business of extrusion; (6) those in new venture groups, materials development, and/ or market development; (7) those in disci­ plines such as nonplastics manufacturers, engineers, designers, quality control, financial, and management; and (8) those requiring a textbook on extrusion in trade schools and high schools or colleges.

1 The complete extrusion process.- Overview.- Extruder type and construction.- Extruder operation.- Processing plastic.- Extruder heating and cooling profile.- Auxiliary equipment.- Plant operation.- Plant safety.- Acceptable risk.- Energy conservation.- Processor.- Predicting performance.- Myths and fact.- People and productivity.- Processing and patience.- Troubleshooting.- History.- 2 Extrusion machine and line.- Features of extruder and production line.- Extruder components.- Operating extruder and complete line.- Coextrusion.- Selecting equipment.- Safety.- 3 Processing plastic material.- Overview.- Plastic type.- Properties.- Heat profile.- Melt flow and rheology.- Melt flow and defect.- Thermal properties.- Purging.- Recycling.- Drying.- 4 Plasticizing screw process.- Overview.- Screw design.- Mixing devices.- Barrier screw.- Melting action.- Venting.- Process performance.- Wear.- Screw inspection.- 5 Die design and performance.- Overview.- Melt behavior.- Die design.- Construction materials.- Maintenance.- Troubleshooting.- 6 Process control and computer.- Overview.- Trade-off.- Sensors.- Accuracy.- Integration.- Intelligent processing.- 7 Blown film.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Blown tube characteristics.- Orientation.- Process optimization.- Die.- Multi-layer or coextrusion.- Film randomization.- Troubleshooting.- 8 Flat film.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Flat film characteristics.- Orientation.- Process control.- Die.- Troubleshooting.- 9 Sheet.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Orientation.- Process optimization.- Die.- Applications.- Troubleshooting.- 10 Calendering.- Overview.- Calendering operation.- Plastic materials.- Orientation.- Processing optimization.- Control.- Application.- Safety.- Costing.- Troubleshooting.- 11 Coating and lamination.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Processing characteristics.- Process optimization.- Die.- Applications.- Safety.- Troubleshooting.- 12 Wire and cable.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Processing characteristics.- Process optimization.- Die.- Troubleshooting.- 13 Pipe and tube.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Processing characteristics.- Process optimization.- Die.- Applications.- Cost.- Troubleshooting.- 14 Profiles.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Processing characteristics.- Process optimization.- Applications.- Die.- Troubleshooting.- 15 Blow molding.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Processing characteristics.- Process optimization.- Die/mold/tool.- Applications.- Cost.- Troubleshooting.- 16 Fiber and filament.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Processing characteristics.- Spinneret.- Process optimization.- Theoretical versus actual value.- Applications.- Troubleshooting.- 17 Compounding.- Overview.- Plastic materials.- Processing characteristics.- Process optimization.- Die.- Troubleshooting.- 18 Other processes.- Injection molding.- Injection-compression molding.- Injection / blow molding with orientation.- Continuous molding with extruder.- Thermoforming.- Scrapless forming.- Postforming.- Netting.- Foam.- 19 Testing and quality control.- Testing.- Quality control.- Statistical process control.- Quality system regulation.- Extrusion variables.- 20 Summary.- Success by design.- Cost.- Processing improvement.- Process types.- Plant control.- Energy.- People.- Plastics growth with extrusion.- Appendices.- Metric conversion charts.- Standard metric symbols.- Mathematical symbols and abbreviations.- Greek alphabet.- Properties of water.- Angle conversions.- References.

This handbook answers over a thousand of the potential combinations of basic variables or problems that can occur from up-stream to down-stream equipment. Guidelines are provided for maximizing processing efficiency and operating at the lowest possible cost. It explains in a clear, concise and simple format the various extrusion processes that produce different commodity and engineered plastic products. Its practical approach provides for the novice and experienced personnel a methodology on extrusion advancements and trends. This leads to 'streamlining' processing lines by anticipating problems that could occur, what causes them, how to eliminate them, and/or how to take corrective action. The content is arranged to provide a natural progression from simple to complex situations. It corre