Lesson 1Die and calibration tooling: die types for pipes and profiles, mandrels, vacuum sizing, land length and swell controlThis lesson discusses die and calibration tooling for pipes, profiles, and sheets. It covers flow distribution, mandrels, land length, swell control, and vacuum sizing, showing how tooling design affects dimensional accuracy and surface finish.
Pipe, profile, and sheet die typesFlow distribution and manifoldsMandrels, pins, and spider supportsDie land length and swell controlVacuum sizing plates and sleevesLesson 2Haul-off and downstream: belt pullers, caterpillar haul-off, speed synchronization with extruderThis lesson reviews haul-off and downstream pulling equipment, like belt and caterpillar units. It explains traction control, nip pressure, and speed synchronization with the extruder to keep product dimensions and surface quality steady.
Belt pullers vs caterpillar haul-offSpeed synchronization with extruderNip pressure and slip preventionEffect on wall thickness and ovalityIntegration with downstream cuttersLesson 3Cooling and sizing equipment: water cooling baths, spray rings, cooling tanks, calibrators, vacuum sizing systemsThis lesson looks at cooling and sizing equipment after the die, such as water baths, spray cooling, and vacuum calibrators. It discusses heat removal rates, dimensional control, internal stresses, and how cooling profiles affect warpage.
Water baths and spray ring designCooling tanks and residence timeCalibrators for profiles and sheetsVacuum sizing for pipes and profilesCooling rate, stress, and warpageLesson 4Screw geometry and selection: screw diameter ranges, L/D ratio, flights, compression and metering zonesThis lesson details screw geometry elements and their effect on melting, mixing, and pressure generation. It covers diameter, L/D ratio, flight design, compression and metering zones, and tips for selecting screws for different polymers and outputs.
Screw diameter and L/D ratio effectsFeed, transition, and metering zonesFlight depth, pitch, and channel volumeBarrier and mixing section optionsScrew selection for materials and outputLesson 5Instrumentation and gauges: melt pressure transducers, die pressure, barrel temperature sensors, flow meters, infrared profile measurementThis lesson covers key extrusion instrumentation, including melt and die pressure, barrel temperature sensing, and flow measurement. It stresses sensor placement, calibration, data interpretation, and how signals trigger alarms, interlocks, and closed-loop control.
Melt and die pressure transducersBarrel temperature sensors and placementFlow meters and mass flow monitoringInfrared profile and surface temperatureCalibration, drift, and signal filteringLesson 6Hopper and material handling: dryers, feeders, gravimetric vs volumetric dosing, contamination controlThis lesson focuses on hopper design and material handling, including drying, conveying, and dosing. It compares gravimetric and volumetric systems, stresses moisture and contamination control, and shares best practices to avoid bridging and segregation.
Hopper design, liners, and bridgingDryers and moisture specification limitsPneumatic and mechanical conveyingGravimetric vs volumetric dosingContamination and metal detectionLesson 7Additive and color feeding systems: side feeders, loss-in-weight feeders, masterbatch feeders, pigment dispersion basicsThis lesson explores feeding systems for additives and colourants, comparing volumetric and gravimetric designs. It covers side feeding to twin-screws, masterbatch dosing, pigment dispersion quality, and ways to avoid segregation and colour streaks.
Volumetric vs loss-in-weight feedersSide feeders for fillers and regrindMasterbatch feeders and color dosingPigment dispersion and streak controlRefill systems and material segregationLesson 8Types of extruders: single-screw vs twin-screw — principles, advantages, typical applicationsThis lesson compares single-screw and twin-screw extruders, explaining operating principles, melting and mixing behaviour, and how design choices affect throughput, energy use, and suitability for compounding, recycling, and profile or film extrusion.
Single-screw operating principle and meltingTwin-screw co-rotating vs counter-rotatingDistributive and dispersive mixing behaviorTypical applications and material suitabilityEnergy efficiency and throughput comparisonLesson 9Cutting and finishing: flying saws, cold cutters, trimming units for profilesThis lesson describes cutting and finishing units for extruded products, including flying saws and cold cutters. It explains synchronization with line speed, burr and dust control, dimensional accuracy, and trimming of profiles to meet final specifications.
Flying saws for continuous profilesCold cutters for pipes and tubesCut length control and tolerancesBurr, dust, and chip managementEnd finishing and chamfer optionsLesson 10Extruder main components: barrel zones, feed throat, screw, gearbox, heaters, thermocouples, melt pumpThis lesson identifies the main mechanical and thermal components of an extruder. It explains barrel zones, feed throat, screw, gearbox, heaters, thermocouples, and melt pump, and how their design and maintenance affect stability and output.
Barrel zones and cooling circuitsFeed throat design and ventingGearbox, motor, and torque limitsHeaters, thermocouples, and controlMelt pump function and pressure build
