What is Extruding?
Extrusion
Extruding is an industrial process in which deformable raw materials are mixed and pressed through a mold or die under pressure. This process gives the material a specific shape, depending on the opening in the mold. The final product can be solid (full) or hollow, depending on the application.
There are two main forms of extrusion: continuous extrusion and discontinuous extrusion (also called pressing).
Continuous Extruding
In continuous extrusion, a rotating screw constantly feeds the material through the extruder. This method is widely used in the production of plastics, but is also found in industries such as food and pharmaceuticals.
Examples of products:
- Plastic profiles and tubes
- Pasta, candy, meat products, pet food
- Small-volume pharmaceutical applications
Discontinuous Extruding (Press Extrusion)
Discontinuous extrusion is often used with metals such as aluminum, copper and magnesium. In this process, the raw material is first heated and then pressed through a die at high pressure. The shape of the die determines the final shape of the product.
Characteristics:
- Applied to metals
- High pressure and heat process
Shaping via mold or die
Applications of Extrusion:
Extrusion is a versatile technique found in a variety of industries, including:
- Plastics Industry
- Food Industry
- Metal Processing
- Pharmaceutical production