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What is Plastic Extrusion?
Home » Manufacturing » Plastic Extrusion » What is Plastic Extrusion?This is the process of where a melted polymer is forced through some kind of orifice with a die, of which a continuous shape is formed with a constant size of the orifice. Manufacturers of plastics use custom, standard, and stock plastic extrusions to shape and form plastic. The plastics that these manufacturing facilities use includes ABS, acrylic, butyrate, fiberglass, nylon, polycarbonate, polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terepthalate glycol (PETG), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene, polyurethane, tubing, pipe, gaskets, seals, and heat sinks.
Most extrusion methods is done by using hot extrusion, cold extrusion, co-extrusion, dual extrusion, hydrostatic extrusion, impact extrusion, and wire drawing.
• Cold extrusion: This is where the process of squeezing plastic through a tool is done at room temperature or slightly above it.
• Hot extrusion: This process uses very high temperatures to squeeze out the material.
• Co-extrusion: This is where multiple layers are extruded together. This type is used mainly to create sheet, film, and tubular plastics.
• Dual plastic extrusion: This is a process where many different materials of various hardness are combined together into a single extrusion. This type of extrusion created plastic material that has to levels of strength to it. One area is rigid while the other area is flexible. This can add strength and alignment to the component while acting as a seal.
• Impact extrusion: This is a process where a small amount of material is forced through a die by a ram, shaped as a tube. This type of extrusion is good for soft materials such as aluminum, lead, or tin.
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