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.