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Plastic Pipe and Tube Extrusion
Pipe and tubing come out of an extruder through a ring-shaped die with a pin in the middle: the melt flows round the pin and leaves as a hollow tube. Pressure inside the tube, or a vacuum sizer outside it, holds the diameter while it is cooled in water; a haul-off pulls it at a steady speed and a saw cuts it to length. PVC compound makes rigid pipe, plasticised (flexible) PVC makes clear vinyl tubing, HDPE makes pressure and drainage pipe. Aluminium is extruded the same way, cold enough to stay solid.
Advanced
Continuous (industrial)
Instructions
1
1
Feed and melt
Feed and melt
Compound or pellets are fed from the hopper and melted along the heated screw.
Materials for this step:
PVC Compound Pellets100 kg
HDPE Pellets100 kgTools needed:
Plastic Extruder
Pellet Hopper Feeder2
2
Form the tube
Form the tube
The melt is pushed through a screen pack and the ring die round its pin, leaving as a hollow tube.
Tools needed:
Plastic Extruder
Extrusion Die3
3
Size and cool
Size and cool
A vacuum sizer, or air pressure inside the tube, holds the outside diameter while water cools it.
Materials for this step:
Water500 liters4
4
Haul off and cut
Haul off and cut
A caterpillar haul-off pulls the pipe at a steady speed; a saw cuts it to length, or tubing is coiled.
5
5
Check
Check
Diameter and wall thickness are measured against the pipe standard.
Tools needed:
Digital Caliper 6-InchMaterials
3- 100 kgPlaceholder
- 100 kgPlaceholder
- 500 litersPlaceholder
Tools Required
4- Placeholder
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