1. General presentation

1.1 General description and operating principle

The schematic diagram of a single-screw extruder is shown in figure 1 . It comprises a worm screw V that rotates inside a cylindrical barrel F, whose temperature is regulated by heating and cooling systems. The polymer in solid form (granules, powder) is fed into the T hopper at one end of the machine.

The main function of the extruder is to convey the polymer, melt it and pressurize it so that it can pass through the die placed at its end. From an industrial point of view, the aim is to obtain a regular output from the machine, with a homogeneous material at a controlled temperature, and satisfactory production conditions...