Extrusion processes
Glass Extrusion
Glass manufacture uses large amounts of energy and heat. Raw materials are mixed and melted in a furnace. The glass is fed through electrically heated bushings (also known as 'spinnerets'). The bushing is made of platinum or a metal alloy with up to 3000 very fine orifices. The molten glass passes through the orifices and comes out as a very fine filament. The filament requires a constant flow of conditioned air to ensure it forms correctly - the air is also distributed for operator comfort. A long, continuous fibre can be produced through the continuous-filament process. After the glass flows through the holes in the bushing, multiple strands are caught up on a high-speed winder. The winder revolves at up to 2 miles (3 km) a minute, much faster than the rate of flow from the bushings. The tension pulls out the filaments while still molten, forming strands a fraction of the diameter of the openings in the bushing. A chemical binder may be applied, which helps keep the fibre from breaking during later processing. The filament is then wound onto tubes.
Throughout the process stable environmental conditions ensure maximum production efficiency and provide comfort cooling for the operators.
Our solutions use special stainless steel air handling units with filtration and chilled water air washers. Our digital control system monitor the conditioned air throughout the system for optimum stability.
Plastic & Recycled Plastic Extrusion
Not all plastic goes to land fill, more and more companies recycle plastic.
During manufacture small plastic pellets (nurdles) are melted and extruded to form a continuous profile or sheet which can then be cooled passing it through a water bath. The process can produce a high quantity of fumes which need to be removed to ensure worker protection and maintain a good working environment. We also offer filtration, heating and cooling solutions to further improve operator comfort level in an energy efficient manner.