The following is included in this e-tech newsletter:

Leistritz Twin Screw Extrusion Workshop scheduled for Nov. 30 Dec. 1, 2011
Technical paper: Look Before You Leap- When Direct Extrusion Makes Sense
Twin screw tip: Removing twin screw elements from shafts (and more)
Upcoming exhibit/presentation schedule

Leistritz Twin Screw Extrusion Workshop to be held Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2011

Leistritz will host its annual Twin Screw Extrusion Workshop on Nov. 30 - Dec. 1, 2011. Since
1990 more than 5000 industry professionals have attended Leistritz educational programs. In
addition to classroom sessions, a unique facet of this workshop is that classroom training is
supplemented by "hands-on" twin screw extrusion operating experience. A partial list of topics is
as follows:

High speed, energy input (HSEI) twin screw extruder theory and design
Comparison to low speed, late fusion (LSLF) designs
Screw design and process techniques
Techniques for dispersive and/or distributive mixing
Sequencing of multi-stage process operations
Devolatilization process techniques and practices
Scale-up of the twin screw extrusion process
Feeder and materials handling for pellets, powders and liquids
Gear pumps and screen changers
Pelletizing: strand cut, water ring, and underwater
Direct extrusion for sheet, film, fibers and profiles
Reactive processing
Process troubleshooting
Control and monitoring options
Screw assembly and disassembly
Machine maintenance

Hands-on demonstrations at Leistritz NJ process laboratory will include:

Co-rotating and counterrotating twin screw extruders

Devolatilization of polymers
Downstream addition of fillers, fibers and additives
Direct sheet/film extrusion with gear pump front end
Foam extrusion via supercritical injection

In addition to Leistritz USA staff, the following industry experts will contribute to the program.
 Chris Case, Reduction Engineering
Costas Gogos, Polymer Processing Institute (PPI)
Todd Messmer, SchenckAccuRate
Pete Palmer, Wolock & Lott
Bill Thiele, Leistritz (retired Emeritus)
Michael Thummert, Leistritz Germany
Matt Upton, Witte Pumps & Technology
Tim Womer, TW Womer & Associates

To download a presentation from last year's workshop entitled Tips for Optimizing Twin Screw
Extruder Performance by Bert Elliott, Leistritz

Dates: November 30 December 1, 2011

Place: Classroom sessions are held at the Holiday Inn Select in Clinton, NJ. Equipment
demonstrations are at the Leistritz Process Laboratory. Transportation is provided to/from the
machine demonstrations.

Cost: $780 before Nov. 4th (includes handout materials, lunches, and dinner on day 1), $880
after Nov. 7th.

To register for this program contact Sarah Scovens at 908/685-2333, X614 or e-mail
sscovens@alec-usa.com.
To download a registration form for the Twin Screw Workshop

TECHNICAL PAPER: Look Before You Leap - When Direct Extrusion Makes Sense
(by Charlie Martin)

In direct extrusion (DE), materials (pellets, fillers, fibers, and additives) are converted directly into
the final productusually flat film, sheet, fibers, or profilesbypassing pelletization. DE via twin
screw extrusion offers processors cost and time savings, as well as improvements in product
quality. DE technology has been around for more than 40 years, but only over the last decade or
so have processors more familiar with conventional single-screw extrusion embraced the idea.
Initial DE applications were mandated (often in desperation) for formulations that were adversely
affected by the second heat and shear history inherent with separate steps for
compounding/pelletizing and single-screw extrusion of a finished product. Early examples
included processing of undried PET, conductive electronic compounds, and fiber-reinforced
products. These efforts spawned an understanding of DE that has been applied to commodity
products to save the conversion costs associated with toll compounding.
 Twin screw extruder with gear pump, screen changer and downstream sheet system

Discounting PVC applications for pipe and profiles (which technically qualify as compounding)
about 50 DE lines are running now in North America, many of which have been installed over the
last few years. Yet despite the advantages DE offers, its often not easy for processors to make
the transition. And the process is not suited for every application. DE is generally a better match
for higher volume, dedicated production systems, as opposed to lower-rate lines that require
frequent product and/or formulation changeovers.

To download this paper, originally published by Plastics Technology Magazine,

in its entirety ...

Twin screw tip: Removing screw elements from shafts (and more)

Screw elements for twin screw extruders are segmented and assembled on shafts. Sometimes
getting these elements off the shafts can be problematic.

Screw set showing baked on degraded polymer

The typical method to removing screw elements is as follows:

Remove the screws immediately after cleaning the outer surfaces after screw removal from
the barrels
 If cool, put one or both screws back in the heated extruder barrel for 20 minutes or so to
reheat the elements
Separate the 2 screws and work on one at a time
Support screws evenly, using at least 4 or 5 support points for longer screws, otherwise the
elements may not slide along the shaft splines
Use hot gloves!!!!
Unscrew the tip and remove the last element, if it doesnt slide off use a propane torch to
heat the element (typically about 30 seconds for a lab-scale TSE and 4-5 minutes for a
100 mm class TSE)
Apply heat as evenly as possible and remove each element by pulling it straight toward the
shaft end.if it doesn't budge apply force with a brass drift punch and hammer
Angle the brass punch against the screw flight and give it a few hits .keep heating and
hammering until the element moves
As each element is removed, start brush-cleaning and/or scraping the exposed shaft, to
make it easier to remove the rest of the elements.

When screw elements are stuck, a pneumatic impact gun (air-hammer) is an inexpensive and
helpful screw element removal tool. The impact gun must be modified to accept a brass tip to
help avoid damage to the screw element/shaft. This gadget is noisy, but generally works to
break loose stuck elements.

Air hammer with brass punch to facilitate screw removal

Preventative measures are encouraged for screw maintenance. If the screw set is left together
for extended periods, it will be difficult to remove the elements. Experienced compounding firms
will periodically remove the elements, clean the elements/shafts and apply anti-seize to the
shafts on a periodic basis to prevent stuck screw elements.
 Anti-seize on splined shafts

For information on a proven/candidate anti-seize material ...

Industry events where Leistritz will participate

Evonik Hot Melt Extrusion Webinar- 10/4/11; presentation entitled Melt Extrusion: Shaping
Drug Delivery in the 21st Century
Plastimagen 10/4-7/11, Mexico City; 10 display
AAPS 2011 10/24-26/11, Washington DC; 20 display
Golden Gate Polymer Forum 10/24-26/11, San Jose, CA; presentation entitled Twin
Screw Extruders - Operational Principles with Applications in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Leistritz Twin Screw Extrusion Workshop 11/30-12/1/11, Somerville, NJ
AMI Thermoplastic Concentrates 2012 1/31-2/2/12, Coral Springs, FL; presentation
entitled Twin Screw Extrusion System Design Innovations to Produce Consistent-
Repeatable Quality Concentrates
Innovation Takes Root 2/20-22/12, Orlando, FL; presentation entitled Comparing Twin
Screw Extrusion Systems to Process PLA Compounds More Efficiently
International Polyolefins Conference 2/26-29/12, Houston, TX; 10 display
National Plastics Exposition (NPE)/ ANTEC 2012 4/2-4/12, Orlando, FL; 1600 sq. ft.
display and a lot of twin screw extrusion equipment
Polymer Reaction Engineering (PRE) 8 Conference- 5/6-12/12, Cancun, Mexico;
presentation entitled Why Twin Screw Extruders are Revolutionizing the Manufacturing
Methodology of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

To receive more information on anything contained in this newsletter e-mail

sales@alec-usa.com or visit http://www.alec-usa.com/tsrpt1011.htm
 169 Meister Ave.
Somerville, NJ, 08876, USA
ph: 908/685-2333
e-mail: sales@alec-usa.com
www.leistritz-extrusion.com