Safety in extrusion techniques

Extrusion techniques for thermoplastics and rubbers are used in a number of manufacturing processes, including :

• the production of plastic pellets (resin and auxiliary components) to feed processing machines such as injection molding machines and extruders;

• manufacture of solid-section tubes and sections;

• blow molding of hollow bodies;

• thermoforming of objects;

• calendering of flexible sheets and foils;

• the production of thin films for packaging or for audio or video recording tapes;

• the production of bags with thin walls;

• insulating sheathing of electrical cables.

The extruder is a machine that transforms solid or powdered materials into plasticized materials, which are then forced through a die whose cross-section corresponds to the feed to downstream production equipment and to the quantity of material required to obtain the products.

It is therefore integrated into a production unit.

Dangerous phenomena that occur during the use of extruders and extruder-integrated systems are mechanical, electrical, thermal, noise, material and product-related.