Co – extrusion and its benefits

When two or more materials are put through the same die to produce a single plastic extrusion the process is known as co – extrusion. Many extruders use this process due to its fantastic benefits. However, like most things there are some disadvantages evident with co – extrusion. This blog addresses the pro’s and the cons.

Advantages:

• Less equipment to control and less man power as there are less steps in the process
• Less energy required to power the machine
• Stable process
• Cost effective – choice of low cost materials for filling
• Great varieties in the widths and line speeds producing first class layer extrusions
• Multi-layer can also be produced in one process

Disadvantages:

• Physical properties might vary and some might be unable to be combined
• It can be difficult to ensure that different polymers have similar melt viscosities
• Lots of planning and design is required which can be quite timely
• In order for the process to operate it requires a sophisticated extruder which can initially be very expensive.