24.02.2016 Views

Extruders - A Special Supplement from Rubber & Tyre Machinery World

Rubber extruders have a varied field of application. So, when you come across a rubber profile, strip, hose, cable, wire, cord coating, tire tread, v-belt, tube, or blank remember that they are only a few handful of products manufactured using extrusion process. In this Knowledge On-The-Go Special Supplement, we bring to you a ‘collector’s edition’ on Extruders and Extrusion incorporating the fundamentals.

Rubber extruders have a varied field of application. So, when you come across a rubber profile, strip, hose, cable, wire, cord coating, tire tread, v-belt, tube, or blank remember that they are only a few handful of products manufactured using extrusion process. In this Knowledge On-The-Go Special Supplement, we bring to you a ‘collector’s edition’ on Extruders and Extrusion incorporating the fundamentals.

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong><br />

Knowledge On-The-Go <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />

<strong>Machinery</strong><br />

http://rubbermachineryworld.com / http://tyremachineryworld.com<br />

<strong>World</strong><br />

EXTRUDERS


| Editor’s Note |<br />

<strong>Extruders</strong> And Extrusion<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> extruders have a varied field of application.<br />

So, when you come across a rubber profile, strip,<br />

hose, cable, wire, cord coating, tire tread, v-belt,<br />

tube, or blank remember that they are only a few<br />

handful of products manufactured using extrusion<br />

process.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> industry only had Hot Feed <strong>Extruders</strong> until<br />

1950’s. Then came the Cold Feed <strong>Extruders</strong> and<br />

other variations as we see them today.<br />

Life today is mostly spent trying to catch up with<br />

latest developments. However, in the process the<br />

basics and fundamentals are sometimes overlooked.<br />

In this issue, we bring to you a ‘collector’s edition’<br />

on <strong>Extruders</strong> and Extrusion incorporating the<br />

fundamentals, that I hope will find space in your<br />

digital library.<br />

My sincere thanks to Dr. S. N. Chakravarty, President<br />

of Elastomer Technology Development Society, for<br />

his inputs with the material for this edition.<br />

As always, I welcome your feedback on<br />

rubbermachineryworld@gmail.com.<br />

<strong>Extruders</strong> and the<br />

process of Extrusion<br />

has different<br />

applications in the<br />

rubber and tyre<br />

industry.<br />

3<br />

Best Regards<br />

Prasanth Warrier<br />

rubbermachineri<br />

rubbermachineryworld<br />

+<strong>Rubber</strong>machineryworld1<br />

grp/home?gid=8252803<br />

(Disclaimer: All the pictures and statements in this special supplement are sourced <strong>from</strong> web or shared by respective companies.<br />

All copyrights belong to actual owner. <strong>Rubber</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> does not independently verify them nor will vouch for their<br />

genuineness, hence will not be liable for any misrepresented data. The images are used here for representation purpose only.)<br />

rubbermachineri<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

4<br />

Image of A Strainer Extruder - Pelmar Engineering Ltd.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Your <strong>Extruders</strong> And Its Extrusion<br />

Process<br />

Prasanth Warrier<br />

With Inputs of Dr. S.N. Chakravarty<br />

5<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> extruders have a varied field of<br />

application. So, when you come across a<br />

rubber profile, strip, hose, cable, wire, cord<br />

coating, tire tread, v-belt, tube, or blank<br />

remember that they are only a few handful<br />

of products manufactured using extrusion<br />

process.<br />

Introduction<br />

<strong>Extruders</strong> are machines, which shape rubber<br />

to a profiled strip by forcing it through a die.<br />

In the simplest form an extruder consists of<br />

four basic components viz.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Image of A Ram Extrusion Line - Barwell<br />

6<br />

(a) a device system<br />

(b) a barrel<br />

(c) a ram or screw for forcing the rubber<br />

through the barrel and<br />

(d) a head holding the die which ultimately<br />

gives the desired shape.<br />

Ram extruders are not<br />

frequently used and are good<br />

for very specialized extrusions.<br />

The fundamental distinction between two<br />

types of extruders is in their mode of<br />

operation:<br />

1. Continuous: Delivers rubber in a<br />

continuous manner and has a rotating<br />

member or screw; here the pressure is<br />

produced by a screw.<br />

2. Discontinuous: Delivers rubber in an<br />

intermittent fashion and has a<br />

reciprocating ram or screw. These type<br />

of extruders are ideally suited for batch<br />

type processes such as injection<br />

moulding.<br />

Screw Type And Ram Type <strong>Extruders</strong><br />

die is attached to cylinder and ram pushes<br />

the compound through the die to form a<br />

profiled section.<br />

Advantages:<br />

• Extrusion can be carried out at lower<br />

temperatures.<br />

• Difficult compounds can be extruded.<br />

• Easy to clean.<br />

• Useful to short runs.<br />

• Useful for compounds which need to be<br />

strained through gauge for quality<br />

products requiring completely<br />

contamination-free material.<br />

In Ram <strong>Extruders</strong>, a quantity of warm<br />

compound is placed into the cylinder, the<br />

Ram extruders are not frequently used and<br />

are good for very specialized extrusions.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

A Screw Extruder consists of five<br />

components viz.<br />

(a) Drive system<br />

(b) A feed hopper<br />

(c) A screw rotating within<br />

(d) A barrel<br />

(e) A head and die.<br />

The basic principle is that the screw carries<br />

material <strong>from</strong> the feed hopper by acting as a<br />

conveyor or a hump providing pressure to<br />

extrude or force the material along the<br />

machine barrel through the head and the<br />

die.<br />

The extruder drive system comprises of an<br />

AC or DC motor along with a reduction gear<br />

The basic principle is that the<br />

screw carries material <strong>from</strong> the<br />

feed hopper by acting as a<br />

conveyor.<br />

unit for power transmission. The extruder<br />

drive has to turn the screw at the desired<br />

speed. It should be able to maintain a<br />

constant screw speed because variations in<br />

screw speed will result in throughput<br />

fluctuation, which in turn will vary the<br />

dimensions of the extrudate.<br />

The purpose of the feed hopper is to receive<br />

material and pass it down to the flights of<br />

the screw. It is mostly supplied in the form<br />

of strip.<br />

8<br />

Image of A Screw Type Cold Feed Extruder - Pelmar Engineering Ltd.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Extruder Screw<br />

The screw rotated within the Barrel, the<br />

usual clearance is approximately 0.40 mm.<br />

Normally, the barrel is fitted with a<br />

detachable liner in the form of a sleeve<br />

which is highly wear and corrosion resistant,<br />

made of hardened steel. The barrel is made<br />

double walled for steam or water circulation<br />

so that a constant temperature is maintained<br />

in the extruder head.<br />

A conventional extruder screw has three<br />

geometrically different sections.<br />

A conventional extruder screw<br />

has three geometrically<br />

different sections - Feed,<br />

Metering and Compression.<br />

compression section. In going <strong>from</strong> feed<br />

section towards the metering section, a<br />

compression of the material in the screw<br />

channel takes place, which is essential for<br />

the proper functioning of extruders. The<br />

compression streamlines flow, helps to<br />

eliminate air and also ensures a constant<br />

pressure in the head.<br />

9<br />

1. Feed section (closest to the feed opening)<br />

generally has deep flights and consists of<br />

approximately 1/5th of the length of the<br />

screw. The material in this section will<br />

mostly be in solid state.<br />

2. Metering section (closest to the die)<br />

usually has shallow flights and consists of<br />

approximately 2/5th of the length of the<br />

screw . The material in this section will<br />

mostly be in molten state.<br />

3. This section connects the feed section and<br />

the metering section, is called as<br />

Screws are made of steel alloy forging, heat<br />

treated to a machinable hardness and hard<br />

chrome plated. The flight lands are surface<br />

hardened to approximately 600 Brinnel.<br />

The screw is internally bored to facilitate<br />

water-cooling.<br />

The extrusion process has to be effective.<br />

What does this mean to you? Your extruded<br />

profile temperature must be within<br />

required limits to prevent scorching.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

The key screw design elements are Pitch,<br />

Flights and Core Diameter.<br />

Reputed manufacturers offer<br />

different screw designs.<br />

Flights: The built up part in between<br />

which the rubber compound traverses.<br />

Pitch: Distance between two consecutive<br />

flights<br />

Core Diameter: Diameter of the Core<br />

Shaft<br />

Each manufacture has their own design of<br />

screw. However, the basic function remain<br />

same. An adjustment can be made for<br />

volume occupied by the flight lands. Screw<br />

design has a direct bearing on out put and<br />

quality of Extrudate. Output rate depends<br />

upon the screw design and geometry of<br />

extrudate.<br />

In general, you could increase output by<br />

either or a combination of the following<br />

- Decrease the Flights<br />

- Increase the Pitch<br />

- Increase the Core Diameter<br />

Reputed manufacturers offer different<br />

screw designs to process your specific<br />

rubber compound requirements. One of the<br />

basic characteristics of all the extrusion<br />

process is the clearance between Barrel and<br />

screw. This is generally<br />

permitted to a limit in order to control<br />

• porosity<br />

• extrusion temperature<br />

10<br />

Schematic of a screw inside barrel and the different terms. Image <strong>from</strong> Web.<br />

Core Diameter<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Image: VMI<br />

12<br />

<strong>Extruders</strong> are usually designated by the<br />

diameter of the extruder barrel. The ratio<br />

of relative output of extruders varies as<br />

the square of the screw diameter . Thus<br />

the output of a 60 mm extruder will be 2.2<br />

times that of a 40 mm extruder.<br />

The extruder is operated in such a manner<br />

so that temperature is gradually more <strong>from</strong><br />

feed to discharge, the die being the hottest<br />

part.<br />

When you choose a extruder,<br />

you should discuss the design,<br />

material technology and<br />

manufacturing accuracy.<br />

The length of a rubber extruder depends on<br />

whether it is a hot feed or cold feed type.<br />

Hot feed extruders are usually very short<br />

about 3D to 5D while cold feed ones range<br />

<strong>from</strong> 12D to 24D.<br />

Hot Feed Extruder (HFE)<br />

When you choose a rubber extruder, you<br />

should deliberate and discuss extensively<br />

upon the design, material technology and<br />

manufacturing accuracy of screw, barrel<br />

and die-head.<br />

Very few manufacturers world-wide can<br />

guarantee you a well-designed and<br />

precisely manufactured rubber extruder.<br />

An additional designation often used is the<br />

length to diameter (L/D) ratio . This is an<br />

important factor in the selection of<br />

extruders to match process requirements.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> industry only had Hot Feed<br />

<strong>Extruders</strong> until 1950’s. HFE’s extrude your<br />

rubber compounds at reduced<br />

temperatures.<br />

The screw depth of a HFE is relatively<br />

larger and you get a consistent output due<br />

to its short screw design. L/D ratio is mostly<br />

in the range of 4:1 to 6:1 which keeps your<br />

rubber compound dwell time and its<br />

temperature increase to a minimum.<br />

In many cases the screw has increasing<br />

pitch.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Each HFE has an hopper and feed roller<br />

section with spiral undercut liner that<br />

allows your compound to enter the<br />

extruder easily. The feed roller on a hot<br />

feed extruder allows your compound to<br />

pass the scraper knife, directed around the<br />

roll and then fed back into the hopper. The<br />

feed roll bearings are placed in positions to<br />

prevent contamination. You can vary the<br />

output by changing the screw speed using<br />

variable speed drives.<br />

In most cases, the screw has decreasing<br />

pitch. The screw has increasing root<br />

diameter with more flight depth at feed end<br />

which increase <strong>from</strong> feed to discharge. And<br />

of course, there are various other designs<br />

available.<br />

You can discuss with your manufacturer<br />

and avail various options of screws for a<br />

wide range of compound and extrusion<br />

applications.<br />

14<br />

Despite these advantages, the HFE’s are<br />

getting outdated in many applications.<br />

Because the rubber that is fed into a Hot<br />

Feed Extruder needs to be pre-heated or<br />

warmed using two-roll mills to achieve the<br />

required degree of viscosity and<br />

temperature that facilitates smooth flow of<br />

rubber, its compaction and extrusion<br />

through the die.<br />

And that made experts consider Cold Feed<br />

<strong>Extruders</strong>.<br />

Cold Feed Extruder (CFE)<br />

The output of an extruder is dependent on<br />

size of extruder i.e. the ratio of L/D.<br />

First estimate of out put is expressed as :<br />

Output = A (L/2) x R x d<br />

A = Cross sectional area of extruder<br />

L = Lead Length<br />

R = Revolution per minute<br />

d = density of rubber<br />

Generally these exists a liner relationship<br />

between RPM & output<br />

Cold Feed <strong>Extruders</strong> are designed and<br />

manufactured with specially designed<br />

screws best suited for cold feeding of<br />

rubber.<br />

While manufacturers offer L/D ratio up to<br />

24:1, the most preferred by end-users is<br />

generally in the range 12:1 to 18:1.<br />

For feeding the cold rubber, it is<br />

recommended that you use a feeding<br />

conveyor with metal detector to remove<br />

metal particles. This avoids damage to the<br />

screw or barrel. In some plants, the<br />

Image of Hot Feed & Cold Feed Extruder Screws<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

15<br />

Image <strong>from</strong> Web: Feeding conveyor with Metal Detector<br />

For feeding the cold rubber, it is recommended that you use a<br />

feeding conveyor with metal detector to remove metal particles.<br />

Image <strong>from</strong> Web: A Set of Compact TCU’s<br />

below Cold Feed Extruder.<br />

sensitivity of the metal detector is<br />

found to be calibrated to a low value<br />

that it virtually renders the detector<br />

useless.<br />

Every CFE comes with a Temperature<br />

Controller Unit (TCU) that controls the<br />

barrel temperature so that the shape<br />

and size of the extruded products are<br />

uniform.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

The different Cold Feed <strong>Extruders</strong> (CFE)<br />

and their uses are:<br />

Plain Barrel Type Cold Feed Extruder:<br />

These CFE’s as the name suggests have a<br />

plain barrel and used in manufacturing of<br />

hoses, blanks, fluorocarbon rubber, butyl<br />

rubber, etc.<br />

Pin Barrel Type Cold Feed Extruder:<br />

These are equipped with metallic pins fixed<br />

along the circumference in full length of<br />

screw. These pins enhance the mixing and<br />

dispersion of your rubber as it is kneaded<br />

between the barrel and screw. And the<br />

The flexibility in Pin Type Cold<br />

Feed <strong>Extruders</strong> endears to all<br />

making it a ‘Universal Extruder’<br />

for many rubber formulations.<br />

result is processed rubber with outstanding<br />

homogeneity and extrudate quality. The<br />

number of pins may be optimised by<br />

process and if required pins <strong>from</strong> last zone<br />

i.e. towards head may be blocked. These<br />

pins are generally 8 to 10 in circumference.<br />

For example, in 10 rows you will have 8x10<br />

=80 pins protruding out of the barrel<br />

towards the screw center.<br />

16<br />

Image <strong>from</strong> Web: Pin Barrel Type Cold Feed Extruder<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

18<br />

Image Of Quadruplex.<br />

Source: Canmade<br />

This flexibility in Pin Type Cold Feed<br />

<strong>Extruders</strong> endears to all making it a<br />

‘Universal extruder’ for many rubber<br />

compound formulations involving varied<br />

applications. Hard rubber compounds also<br />

can be processed because of high extruder<br />

torque.<br />

Vent Type Cold Feed Extruder<br />

Vent type or vacuum type extruders were<br />

developed for production of non-porous<br />

profiles and hoses. These CFE’s have a<br />

custom-built screw, and a degassing barrel<br />

with a vacuum pump attached to vent<br />

bubbles out of extruded compounds.<br />

Multiplex lines of piggy-back<br />

type have compact construction.<br />

Co-extrusion<br />

Customer-specific customization and usage<br />

complexity demands led to the introduction<br />

of co-extrusion for manufacturing of<br />

various profiles. And so you today have<br />

Simplex, Multiplex (Duplex, Triplex,<br />

Quadruplex, and Quintuplex) and Roller<br />

Head technology. Multiplex lines of piggyback<br />

type of 2,3,4, and 5 layers have a<br />

compact construction.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

20<br />

Roller-Head-Extruder<br />

Roller Head Technology involves a<br />

combination of extruder with preform head<br />

and two-roll calender. They offer twin<br />

advantages of – high uniformity of the<br />

material thickness over the entire sheet<br />

width with absence of air traps even at<br />

higher thicknesses (~20mm thick as against<br />

conventional calender lines that give max<br />

3mm thick sheets with or without air traps)<br />

and excellent homogeneity of the material<br />

produced.<br />

Both these characteristics are important for<br />

high-quality rubber products such as tire<br />

components, V-belts, conveyor belts, tank<br />

linings, cover sheets, blank sheets and<br />

roofing sheets. For even thickness across<br />

the entire sheet width of the roller head,<br />

there are three options that can be used<br />

alone or in combination with one another –<br />

roll crowning, roll crossing or roll bending,<br />

that will compensate for the elastic<br />

deflection of rolls.<br />

In today’s world you will see that usages of<br />

these technologies are overlapped. For<br />

example, in tire industry, you can notice<br />

that<br />

- Tread & Sidewall are extruded using<br />

Simplex, Duplex, Triplex, Quadruplex<br />

Lines<br />

- Apex are extruded using through Simple<br />

and Duplex.<br />

- Inner Liner are extruded using Simple,<br />

Duplex & Roller Head Technology.<br />

Image: KraussMafei Berstoff<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Image: Bharaj Make Cold Feed Extrusders equipped with Co-Extrusion Head<br />

21<br />

Extruder Head and Die Design<br />

The key to the extrusion is the extruder<br />

head that transforms the shape of the<br />

rubber while leaving the barrel to<br />

produce a dimensionally accurate and<br />

stable profile.<br />

The purpose of extruder Head is to<br />

equalise the pressure <strong>from</strong> the screw and<br />

barrel andto transport the compound<br />

smoothly at equal pressures and speed to<br />

the die.<br />

The purpose of Die is to give the compound<br />

the desired shape. The extrudates shrink<br />

along their length and increase in thickness<br />

and width, the behavior being termed ‘die<br />

swell’ which depends upon<br />

(i) rheological characteristics compound<br />

(ii) shape of head and extrudate<br />

(iii) pressure in the head<br />

(iv) the head and compound temperatures.<br />

Generally die making and die design<br />

depends on experience, however a good<br />

control on compound properties gives<br />

better extrusion.<br />

It is necessary to get a swelling factor at<br />

each point of profile for a particular<br />

compound. This varies <strong>from</strong> centre of die to<br />

extreme ends. Die swell is defined as ratio<br />

of extrudate section & cross section of die.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

24<br />

Source: CGEC<br />

This depends on Polymer, Carbon type and<br />

PHR, Viscosity, Lead angle (Bevel) of die etc.<br />

Some of the die heads include:<br />

1) Straight Head / Tube Head for hoses<br />

(circular or square) and technical profiles.<br />

2) Cross Heads for hoses and technical<br />

profiles <strong>from</strong> one, two or three different<br />

compounds.<br />

3) Single Tread Heads for rubber profiles.<br />

4) Multiple Tread Heads (Piggy-back) for<br />

rubber profiles.<br />

5) Slit Tube Heads for producing sheets<br />

inexpensively.<br />

Die swell depends on Polymer,<br />

Carbon type and PHR, Lead angle<br />

of die, etc.<br />

6) Preform Heads for sheets and rubber<br />

profiles.<br />

7) Strainer Heads to strain raw rubber,<br />

rubber compounds and reclaim rubber.<br />

8) Pelletizer Heads to process rubber<br />

materials ground into granules.<br />

9) Pork chop Heads to produce granulated<br />

raw rubber.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Your main goal of extrusion is to get the highest output<br />

at good quality of product within the safe temperature<br />

limits of the products.<br />

Image: Triplex Extruder. Source: Troester<br />

25<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Gear Box<br />

A gearbox is the single-most-expensivecomponent<br />

on an extruder. Hence, you<br />

should be more cautious while selecting.<br />

First things first – Why do your single screw<br />

extruders need gearboxes?<br />

Extruder manufacturers prefer 1800/1500<br />

RPM or 1200/1000 RPM motors (depending<br />

on your country of use) because they are<br />

economical, readily available and compact<br />

in size to mount on your extruder base.<br />

However, most rubber extruder screws<br />

during production run in the speed range<br />

of 4 rpm to 40 rpm.<br />

Hence, the role of a gearbox or gear<br />

reducer here is to reduce the drive motor’s<br />

speed and, in turn, multiply the available<br />

torque <strong>from</strong> the motor in order to produce<br />

sufficient power to mix and push out your<br />

rubber compound.<br />

As an individual and independent<br />

component, the key specification that<br />

A gearbox is the single-mostexpensive<br />

component of an<br />

extruder. Hence, you should be<br />

more cautious while selecting.<br />

26<br />

Image: Wikov<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

30<br />

defines the capacity and durability of your<br />

extruder gearbox is the power (HP/kW)<br />

rating along with its service factor (SF).<br />

Single screw extruder gearboxes are<br />

normally rated for power (HP/kW) or<br />

torque at a specific rpm based on common<br />

calculations and standards. This uniform<br />

standard allows you to compare gearboxes<br />

<strong>from</strong> different manufacturers.<br />

Your extruder manufacturers follow these<br />

guidelines and select a model for different<br />

service factors and applications. A key<br />

question you should ask is whether, the SF<br />

considered by your manufacturer is optimal<br />

for your extrusion application or not.<br />

Knowledge of AGMA (American Gear<br />

Manufacturers Association)<br />

recommendation will certainly help you to<br />

discuss better with extruder manufacturers,<br />

but experienced gearbox manufacturers<br />

can guide you even better. I have witnessed<br />

buyers in Asia been taken for a ride for their<br />

ignorance and offered lower specification<br />

gearboxes on their extruders to compete on<br />

cost.<br />

with a calculated rating of 367.5 kW would<br />

have a quoted rating of 210 kW with a 1.75<br />

service factor.<br />

The overall rating of a gearbox is based on<br />

the ratings of all its individual components.<br />

This includes the gear teeth design, gear<br />

hardness, shaft dimensions, bearing<br />

selection and sizes, housing design<br />

(thickness & rigidity), and thermal<br />

considerations. All these considerations are<br />

to ensure that your gearbox has sufficient<br />

support and capacity to effectively transmit<br />

the motor torque to the screw without<br />

significant distortion or failure.<br />

Within the gearbox, the most important<br />

component (and most expensive) is it’s<br />

thrust bearing. You evaluate a thrust<br />

bearing based on its type and life (B-10 or<br />

L-10 rating).<br />

The B-10 Life (sometimes called L-10 Life)<br />

of the thrust bearing is based on an<br />

engineering calculation that estimates the<br />

number of hours of operation at which 10<br />

per cent of the bearings are likely to fail.<br />

When you compare gearboxes, always<br />

evaluate on calculated power. The formula<br />

for calculated power of a gearbox is:<br />

Calculated Power = Quoted Power X<br />

Service Factor<br />

Typically, single screw rubber extruder<br />

gearbox has service factors of 1.5 or 1.75 for<br />

optimal operating capacity. For example, a<br />

6 inch pin type cold feed extruder gearbox<br />

Additional rating adjustment factors are to<br />

be applied to the basic B-10 life based on<br />

application factors including how the<br />

bearing is mounted.<br />

For example, a thrust bearing that is<br />

mounted between two radial bearings is<br />

more likely to have precise thrust bearing<br />

alignment, and will therefore have a higher<br />

rating adjustment factor.<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


KELACHANDRA MACHINES<br />

(MFRS. OF RUBBER INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY)<br />

Chingavanam - 686 531, Kottayam, Kerala. India.<br />

Phone Off: +91- 481-2430325. Fax: +91- 481-2430596<br />

e-mail: km1912@gmail.com


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Here are 6 other key criteria of a gearbox<br />

evaluation, which you should know<br />

1. Gear Design, Hardness and its<br />

Construction<br />

Each of the individual gears that go into<br />

your gearbox assembly are rated for power<br />

or torque based on their strength and<br />

durability ratings. The calculations would<br />

be according to industry standard AGMA<br />

rating systems. Factors include the gear<br />

tooth pitch, center distance, material and<br />

hardness.<br />

2. Gear Shafts<br />

The shafts must be designed to transmit the<br />

full power and torque capacity of the gears.<br />

The length and diameter of these shafts is<br />

decisive and must match the ability to<br />

transmit this torque without excessive<br />

deflection, fatigue and failure. The diameter<br />

of the input shaft must be adequate to<br />

properly support sheaves (in the case of belt<br />

driven models) or a coupling. The output<br />

shafts must be properly designed to handle<br />

the correct range of screw shanks that will<br />

be inserted. Adequate access to the drive<br />

keys is beneficial when they become worn<br />

or damaged and need to be replaced.<br />

3. Radial Bearings and Seals<br />

The radial bearings support the rotational<br />

forces of the gear shafts and must be<br />

designed to handle the load forces and<br />

speeds effectively. The dynamic load<br />

capacity of these radial bearings must also<br />

be considered when evaluating the design<br />

and durability of the gearbox. Radial<br />

bearings must also be properly lubricated<br />

and sealed.<br />

4. Gearbox Housing Design - Construction<br />

Cast Iron is the cost-effective material of<br />

choice for most manufacturers.<br />

Traditionally, CI gearboxes are made in two<br />

pieces, split either horizontally or vertically.<br />

Newer designs have the gearbox housing<br />

cast as one piece to reduce any potential<br />

leakages.<br />

5. Thrust Bearing<br />

Thrust bearing isolates the backward forces<br />

<strong>from</strong> the screw. The larger the screw and/or<br />

the higher the back pressure, the greater<br />

the backward thrust forces. There are three<br />

basic types of thrust bearings – cylindrical,<br />

spherical and tapered.<br />

6. Serviceability<br />

When you select a gearbox, you should give<br />

prime importance to the availability to<br />

affordable parts and service. It is best to<br />

select rubber extruder suppliers who<br />

purchase their gearboxes <strong>from</strong> proven and<br />

reputable manufacturers that specialize<br />

only in gearboxes for better serviceability.<br />

An old gearbox manufactured around<br />

through-hardened process and shaved gears<br />

technology has shafts, bearings and<br />

housings designed accordingly. Replacing<br />

new hardened gears with a higher HP<br />

capacity, does not automatically guarantee<br />

the gearbox rating to increase, if you do not<br />

replace the assembly with stronger shafts,<br />

bearings and housing.<br />

Gear manufacturing technology today has<br />

33<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


| EXTRUDERS |<br />

Image of Extrusion Line. Source: CGEC<br />

changed and consists of carburized and<br />

ground gears. These gears are capable of<br />

delivering much more power in its smaller<br />

size. When old gear designs are<br />

constructed using the new materials and<br />

process, the power calculations yield much<br />

higher gear tooth ratings. But if the rest of<br />

the design is unchanged, and the same<br />

bearings, shafts, and housings are used, the<br />

total gearbox rating cannot simply be based<br />

on the new higher gear rating alone.<br />

The higher torque could never be applied to<br />

the original sized input shaft without<br />

causing bending or twisting. The bearings<br />

and/or shafts would be overloaded with the<br />

higher forces, and the housing would<br />

probably not have sufficient strength to<br />

resist significant distortion. Reputed<br />

gearbox rebuilders will guide you well.<br />

Automation<br />

The different levels of automation of downstream<br />

line for extruders makes the<br />

extrusion operations highly user-friendly<br />

and efficient.<br />

In the case of extruder heads, there are<br />

different options depending on user<br />

requirement - a simple, single-compound<br />

single-component mechanically opening<br />

extruder head to a sophisticated costeffective<br />

PLC controlled hydraulically<br />

opening multi-compound multi-cavity head.<br />

So, rubber extrusion is in itself a vast and<br />

interesting subject.<br />

RMW<br />

35<br />

<strong>Rubber</strong> & <strong>Tyre</strong> <strong>Machinery</strong> <strong>World</strong> | FEB 2016


AMCL MACHINERY LIMITED<br />

SERVICE TO THE NATION FOR FOUR DECADES<br />

Product Range<br />

• <strong>Rubber</strong> Mixer – 76" liter and 270 liter.<br />

• Mixing Mills – 16", 22", 26" and special sizes<br />

• Hot feed extruders – 6" and 8"<br />

• <strong>Rubber</strong> Calenders – 2/3 rolls.<br />

• Bias <strong>Tyre</strong> Building machine – RB1/RB3<br />

• Automatic LCV <strong>Tyre</strong> Building Machine – RB1619<br />

• Automatic Truck <strong>Tyre</strong> Building Machine-RB2022<br />

• Mechanical <strong>Tyre</strong> Curing Presses – Scooter to Truck size<br />

• Bladder Curing Presses<br />

• Tube Splicers<br />

For all your enquiries please contact:<br />

AMCL MACHINERY LIMITED<br />

Works: Plot No.A1/1, MIDC, Butirobi-441122, Nagpur<br />

Mumbai office: 202, Ackruti Centre Point, MIDC Central Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai-400 093.<br />

Contact person: Mr. S.H. Mehta<br />

Mobile No. +91-9004697430. Email: shmehta@amcl.in Website: www.amcl.in


KELACHANDRA MACHINES<br />

(MFRS. OF RUBBER INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY)<br />

Chingavanam - 686 531, Kottayam, Kerala. India.<br />

Phone Off: +91- 481-2430325. Fax: +91- 481-2430596<br />

e-mail: km1912@gmail.com

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!