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Guill Tool & Engineering Co., Inc., manufacturers of extrusion tooling for the global market, has opened a rheology laboratory at its plant in W. Warwick, R.I. Seeking to obtain better results and minimize the time it takes between testing and production, the lab features several key machines that ensure optimum results, when testing materials, especially new compounds to be extruded.  The testing equipment includes a hybrid rotational rheometer, a differential scanning calorimeter, and a thermal conductivity meter. Guill says it’s the only maker of round extrusion dies to have such a facility.

Third-party testing facilities are typically not experienced in extrusion processes, Guill says.  Guill, however, can not only gather data the same way third-party testers can, but can also interpret that data as it applies specifically to extrusion.  Likewise, the tool builder notes, third-parties simply supply data, not recommendations.  Guill is now equipped to both test its customer’s materials and work with them to create extrusion tooling that will give them a competitive edge.  Accurate simulation and interpretation by extrusion experts greatly reduces the number of physical reworks needed, as the tooling has a greater chance of producing a good product at the outset. In-house testing also speeds up the turnaround on test results, reducing delays during the tool design process and offering better control over the processes and test parameters.

The new Guill rheology lab processes standard materials, custom formulae and it is equipped to mix materials. These materials include plastics, thermoplastic elastomers, all types of rubber and silicone. Information from the lab is transmitted directly to the Guill engineering department for review by the design team.