Conical twin screw extruder runs at 600kg/h

Recent Cncinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems open house in China demonstrated a TC86 Conical Twin Screw Extruder WPC deckboard line running at over 600kg/h.

Visitors to the new Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems Technology Center in Shanghai, China, saw a TC86 Conical Twin Screw WPC Extruder in a high performance WPC line, operating with an average time from start of the machine to saving product at over 600kg/h at less than 20 min Producing very high quality wood and natural fibre plastics composite (WPC) profiles at rates unheard of in China, the machine combines material technology, high performance WPC extruders, state of the art tooling technology, and high capacity downstream cooling equipment in one system.

Director of International Business Development at Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems, Herb Hutchison, said: "After months of planning and execution, coupling the Open House with Chinaplas 2008 was a wonderful way to dedicate and celebrate our Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems Technology Center in Shanghai, China, and demonstrate first hand the benefits of working with the global leader in wood and natural fibre plastics composite extrusion".

Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems ‘Plug and Play’ WPC extrusion system that incorporates raw material handling, mixing, agglomerating and drying in systems sized as small as one and two tonnes/h output.

The technology allows a company to enter the WPC market for the first time with multiple extrusion lines at cost below what some European WPC systems cost just for the material handling only.

Large conical twin-screw extruders – Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems told manufacturingtalk that it had originated large conical twin-screw extruders and today is recognised as a global leader in extrusion technology.

The TC86 Conical Twin Screw WPC system features large diameter screws (176mm tapering to 86mm with a 27:1 LD ratio) that optimise the feed zone surface area for fast, uniform heat transmission from the screw to the material.

The tapered screw design allows a larger feed zone for ‘fluffy’ light bulk density materials and applies natural compression during processing.

The result is that wood flour is properly ‘wetted out’ and the polymer materials are properly mixed prior to devolatilisation.

The deep flights of the screws optimise mixing while reducing shear forces.

High torque at low speeds enables gentle low shear melting and mixing and offers ultra efficient plasticising in vinyl extrusion.

The TC86 features a small exit diameter, which reduces rotational shear and screw thrust, while increasing pumping efficiency into the die.

The conical twin screw action generates positive pumping pressure for quality extrusion of viscous rigid PVC and WPC material, which is also critical for higher head pressures that are required for engineered profiles with thinner walls and small die openings, said Milacron.

‘Plug and Play’ system – processors can quickly get into the WPC business and start generating revenue.

Milacron said that its ‘Plug and Play’ system has all the performance and machinery options of big, heavily engineered systems including the following.

* Traditional material handling equipment.

* Transfer equipment.

* Mixing.

* Drying.

* Delivery system.

* Die set.

* Downstream cooling and cutting equipment.

The workhorse TC86 or other powerful extruders also have ‘Plug and Play’, which system avoids costly ‘add-ons’ and complicated custom controls that are loaded into many Euro extrusion systems, said Milacron.

Hutchison added: "With customised raw material evaluation service now available, all that is missing from the ‘Plug and Play’ system is the finalised material formulation, the material and the finished parts".

The ‘Plug and Play’ system is supported by Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems worldwide and includes support from Milacron’s extensive network of extrusion technology systems partners.

Other benefits of the ‘Plug and Play’ system include the following.

* Significant reduction of capital outlay compared with other WPC systems.

* Systems capable of producing either 1 or 2 tonnes/h of raw material.

* Quicker delivery than more complex systems.

* Fast, efficient modular installation and complete start-up support.

* Offers a simplified, easy to operate control system.

* Can be set up with single or multiple extrusion lines and is easily expanded.

* Lower maintenance costs and extreme manufacturing flexibility.

Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems offers a comprehensive range of conical and parallel twin-screw extruders meeting every requirement from lab/development work to precision profiles and high-output shape production.

Models are available with 35mm, 50mm, 55mm, 65mm, 80mm, 84mm, 86mm, 92mm and 96mm conical screws and 93mm, 115mm, 140mm and 172mm parallel screws.

Cincinnati Milacron’s Extrusion systems produce PVC and CPVC pipe, window profile, foamed/solid sheet and vinyl siding products.

Recognized as the global leader in wood and natural fibre plastics composite (WPC) extruders for decking, rails and other products, Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems bring superior versatility, melt homogeneity and process control to the ever-emerging applications for WPC profiles and structural components.

Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems’ single-screw extruders serve the sheet, profile, pipe and pelletising markets and are available in both smooth bore and grooved bore feed section machines.

Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems also offers new and rebuilt barrels, screws, pipe heads, dies, and downstream equipment.

First incorporated in 1884, Milacron is a leading global supplier of plastics processing technologies and industrial fluids, with manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe, India and Asia.