How Does Plastic Extrusion Work?
Resin The plastic extrusion process starts with what are called thermoplastic resins. Thermoplastic resins are a type of plastic which can be melted, processed, and then re-melted to be used again. These resins are generally delivered in a pellet or bead form to be used in the plastic extrusion machinery. The pellets or beads can come in several different forms. There are plastic resin beads, which come in what is referred to as a virgin form. These are beads which have never been processed before and generally come with certifications of purity. The beads are also available in grades of quality that can be purchased for specific uses. Waste plastic from the extrusion process can be reprocessed into beads that may be used again, which reduces the overall waste generated in the process. Machinery and Melting Extrusion machinery can be complicated to operate, but the overall process is relatively straightforward. The heart of the machine is the screw, which sometimes is referred to as an
