Aluminum extrusions are some of the most widely used products in diverse industries, machinery, and equipment. Aluminum is an excellent extrusion metal thanks to its lightness, strength, availability, and malleability. Because you can manipulate aluminum into highly complex shapes and patterns, it can be used in everything, ranging from the most conventional applications to state-of-the-art gadgets.
The extrusion process is an industrial activity involving specialized equipment. The type of machine used will depend on various factors ranging from the extrusion material or alloy to be used, the desired product, production costs, and so on. In this post, we’ll explore the different types of extrusion machines available and how they differ from one another.
Let’s dive right in.
What do Extrusion Machines Do?
Extrusion machines are specialized pieces of heavy machinery designed to pull or push unformed material into shaped guides and through shaped dies to produce lengths of cross-sectional shapes or stock forms.
These machines are mainly used within the metal, plastics, and composite extrusion industries. The products of these machines are widely used throughout various industries and applications, including the construction, aerospace, and automotive industries, to name a few.
The principal parts of an extrusion machine are a revolving screw, a tubular barrel, and a plunger/ram within the barrel. Extruders will also have hoppers at one of their ends, whose purpose will be to hold the material that’s supposed to be extruded before it is fed into the ram, crew, or plunger.
On the opposite end, you’ll find a die whose purpose is to give shape to the extruded mass. Depending on your particular needs and requirements, you can discover extrusion machines that cut materials to shorter or longer lengths.
Types of Extrusion Machines
In most cases, suppliers will categorize extrusion machines according to the extruded material or technology used. Plastic extruders, for example, are designed to mold plastics in profile extrusion, sheet extrusion, and pipe extrusion applications. Rubber and thermoplastic extrusion machines are also different categories in use today.
Where extrusion technologies are concerned, there are two main types: hot and cold extrusion machines. While hot extrusion machines form metals, plastics, and composites after they have been preheated, cold extrusion machines will mold materials without preheating.
Some types of hot extruding machines are capable of hot spinning, a metal forming process involving a rotating disk that puts controlled pressure on one side of the material, thus making the metal flow against a rotating form.
Choosing the Right Extrusion Machine for Your Needs
When searching for an extrusion machine, you must consider several factors. The materials used to make the extruder’s barrels, tips, and screws are the most important. Popular screw materials include high-chrome, high-carbon, and proprietary steel.
They often receive finishing treatments such as carbide coating, chrome plating, and nitriding. The screw section lengths, flight pitch, flight depth, radius, and length-to-diameter ratios are also critical considerations to take into account.
If you’re going to make your selection based on the type of screw involved, you can choose between Single Screw Machines, Coaxial Twin Screw Machines, Conical Twin Screw Machines, Co-Rotating Twin Screw Machines, or Parallel Twin Screw Machines.
Final Thoughts
Like everything else in life, the type of extruding machine you use will determine the product you end up with. While countless suppliers might promise you excellent results, it’s important to select experienced, skilled, and well-equipped extrusion producers. Ordering products from low-quality suppliers might cause expensive yet avoidable problems down the road.
The Foshan Nanhai Wangeshi Machinery Equipment Company has over 18 years of experience as a global extrusion machinery supplier. It has built a reputation for world-class quality, cost-effectiveness, time-consciousness, and customer care. Make Wangeshi Machinery Equipment Company your first choice for all your extrusion machinery needs. Contact us today. You won’t regret it!
