Compounding
Fly-Ash Filler Stages a Comeback
Fly ash, a silica and alumina residue collected from the chimneys of coal-fired power plants and incinerators, is both a waste product and a promising low-cost filler for plastics.
Read MoreSingle-Screw Compounding Is Learning New Tricks
While twin-screws get most of the glory, a quiet revolution has been taking place in single-screw compounding. In the past six to 12 months, some half-dozen new dispersive mixing elements have gone into commercial production, and more are on the way.
Read MoreWood is Good for Compounding, Sheet & Profile
Extruding composites of wood and plastic has long been a "black art" practiced by a few specialists. But in the past year, this "hidden" market has burst into the sunlight as new producers and new applications sprout up all over.
Read MoreExtrusion Close-Up
Easier-to-use software is making computer flow simulation more popular for designing dies for sheet, profiles, and film. Even the apparently simple case of a "spaghetti" die for pelletizing shows how flow simulation can be an essential tool for diagnosing and solving difficult processing problems.
Read MoreCompounding
The big news at K'98 was some unique multi-screw machines for processing filled, colored, and recycled compounds. One of these machines has five screws, and another has 12. Still another has several grooved rolls instead of screws.
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