Plastic extrusion is one of the most commonly used manufacturing processes. We’ve put together this guide to let you know what it is exactly, how it works and what the process involves.
What Is Plastic Extrusion?
Plastic extrusion is a high-volume manufacturing process for creating plastic profiles with varying shapes and sizes that can be made using a wide variety of polymers. It involves using molten plastic compounds and shaping them into continuous lengths. There are many different types of extrusion products, some of which include:
- Tubes and pipes
- Channels, including U, H and J channels
- Angles and corner profiles
- Flat strips
- T-sections
- Trims and edging profiles
- Seals and gaskets
- Cladding and hygienic profiles
- Window and door profiles
…and more. Thanks to its versatility plastic extrusion is commonly used across numerous industries including construction, transport, electrical, retail, refrigeration, fencing and decking to produce anything from simple trims/channels to more complex bespoke profiles.
Advantages of Plastic Extrusion
- Great at producing uniform profiles with consistent dimensions across long production runs
- Perfect for mass manufacturing as once tooling has been developed, large quantities are produced quickly and cost-effectively
- Allows a wide choice of materials as many different polymers can be used to support varying end-use requirements for the products
- Profiles can be produced in different sizes, shapes, colours and properties including fire resistance, water/moisture resistance, electrical insulation, etc.
- Multiple secondary operations available post-production e.g. cutting, drilling, mitring and more to support specific product applications
- The continuous manufacturing process minimises any unnecessary material usage contributing to its cost efficiency
How Does Plastic Extrusion Work?
Plastic extrusion works by heating raw plastic material and pushing it through a specially designed die, with the opening of the die creating the cross-sectional shape of the profile which can be anything from a simple tube/channel to a more complex custom component. The extrusion is then cooled and stabilised and cut to the length needed.
The Plastic Extrusion Process
- A polymer is chosen based on the required properties for the final product and the end use
- The raw plastic (typically in the form of powder or pellets) is then fed into the extruder through a hopper
- The material moves through a heated barrel where it softens and is mixed creating a consistent molten material
- The molten plastic is pushed through a custom die that forms the continuous profile
- The extrusion is cooled and supported to help retain the shape
- The profile is drawn at a controlled speed along the production line before being cut to the length required
- Any secondary operations needed are carried out e.g. cutting, drilling, mitring, etc.
What Is a Plastic Extrusion Machine?
A plastic extrusion machine (or an extruder) is part of the equipment used to create continuous profiles by mixing and shaping raw plastic materials. The extruder is part of a complete extrusion line which typically also includes the equipment used to cool, calibrate, pull and cut the final profile but the exact equipment used depends on factors like the material chosen, size/complexity of the profile, production volume, etc.
The equipment being used is crucial to the quality and consistency of the profiles manufactured which is why Nenplas always invests in the highest quality equipment with a completely new extrusion line worth over £450,000 recently commissioned at our Ashbourne site. This line further strengthens our capacity to manufacture larger PVC extrusions for many markets including transport, fencing, decking and building products.
Discuss Your Plastic Extrusion Project With Nenplas
Nenplas is one of the leading plastic extrusion companies in the UK with over 50 years of experience and state-of-the-art production facilities merging the best of traditional extrusion methods and modern technology. If you’re considering using plastic extrusion as a manufacturing method for your project, we can help. Get in touch with our team today and we’ll be happy to answer any questions!
