PROFILE EXTRUSION

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Profile extrusion is a continuous manufacturing process used to create plastic products with a fixed cross-sectional shape. It’s ideal for producing long, uniform profiles such as window frames, tubing, weather stripping, cable insulation, and more.

Advantages of Profile Extrusion

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  • Cost-efficient for long runs: Continuous process keeps per-foot cost low.
  • High consistency: Excellent dimensional accuracy and repeatability.
  • Design flexibility: Custom profiles tailored for specific functions—e.g., seals, trims, channels, gaskets, tubing.
  • Scalable production: Easy to scale from pilot to high-volume manufacturing.
  • Fast turnaround for tooling: Die creation is faster and less expensive compared to injection molding.
  • Supports co-extrusion: Multiple materials or colors in one profile (e.g., rigid base + flexible sealing edge).

The Process:

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  1. Feeding
    • Plastic pellets or granules are fed from a hopper into a heated barrel.
  2. Melting
    • A rotating screw inside the barrel conveys the material forward, where heaters melt it into a homogeneous molten state.
  3. Extrusion Through Die
    • The molten plastic is forced through a custom-designed die, which shapes the material into the desired profile cross-section.
  4. Cooling
    • The hot extruded profile enters a cooling system—usually a water bath or air-cooled chamber—where it solidifies while maintaining shape.
  5. Pulling
    • A puller system maintains tension and consistent line speed, ensuring smooth, uniform extrusion.
  6. Cutting or Coiling
    • The continuous profile is either cut to length or coiled for storage and transport, depending on the product.

CONSIDER

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  • Shape of the Final Product: Molten plastic is forced through a shaped die to create long, continuous profiles.
  • Production Volume & Length: Efficient for medium- to high-volume production runs; especially cost-effective for products made in continuous lengths
  • Tooling & Cost: Great option when you need custom shapes but want to avoid high upfront mold investment
  • Post-Processing: May require secondary operations like cutting, punching, or hole drilling.

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