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How should a silicone extruder be maintained and serviced?

Time：

2020-03-19

An extruder is one type of plastic machinery and an essential piece of equipment for manufacturing silicone rubber products. Hebei Shuangda Rubber & Plastics Machinery reminds users to perform proper maintenance and routine upkeep when operating a silicone extruder; specific steps are as follows: 1. Inspect the V‑belts and pulleys in the V‑belt drive for signs of wear, and adjust the center distance of the drive to ensure appropriate belt tension. Replace any V‑belts that show severe wear. 2. Remove the screw and examine the barrel and screw for wear. For minor scratches or rough surfaces, use an oilstone or fine sandpaper to smooth the surface until it is even and polished. Also, record the actual inner diameter and outer diameter of both the barrel and the screw. 3. Disassemble the gear reducer.

Extruders are a type of plastic-processing machinery and are essential equipment for manufacturing silicone rubber products. Hebei Shuangda Rubber & Plastics Machinery advises that, during daily operation, proper maintenance and care should be performed; specific guidelines are outlined below.

1. Inspect the V-belts and pulleys of the V-belt drive for wear, and adjust the center distance of the V-belt drive to ensure proper belt tension; replace any V-belts that are severely worn.

2. Remove the screw and inspect the barrel and screw for wear. For minor scratches or surface roughness, use an oilstone or fine sandpaper to grind and polish until the surface is smooth and even; record the actual dimensions of the barrel and screw’s inner bore and outer diameter.
3. Disassemble the gear reducer and bearing cover, inspect the lubricant quality and the level of metal particles in the oil, and, if necessary, clean the lubrication points and replace or filter the lubricant.

4. Inspect the transmission gears and rolling bearings for wear; severely worn gears shall be measured and mapped. Based on requirements, prepare a plan for manufacturing and procuring spare parts to be used during the next maintenance overhaul.

5. Regularly inspect the purity of the raw materials; no foreign matter such as sand particles or metal powder shall be allowed to contaminate the materials or enter the barrel.

6. Regularly inspect the lubricated components and replenish the lubricant as needed; during operation, the temperature rise at bearing locations should not exceed 50°C.

The barrel must be adequately preheated to a constant temperature, and the material must not be processed below the specified process conditions.

7. When operating the screw, start at low speed; after running for a while and confirming that everything is functioning normally, then increase the screw speed.

8. When the barrel is empty, the screw must not be run idly for an extended period; the idle running time of the screw shall not exceed 2–3 minutes.

9. Regularly monitor the ammeter reading for fluctuations in the screw‑driving motor’s current. If the motor operates under overload for an extended period (transient overloads are permissible), immediately stop the machine, identify the cause of the fault, and resume production only after the issue has been resolved.

10. After the barrel has been heated to the process temperature for the first time, retighten the mounting bolts that secure the barrel to the machine base.

11. Overhaul the vacuum pump, clean the vacuum piping, and calibrate the vacuum gauge.

12. When installing the mold and screw, ensure that all mating surfaces are clean and free of foreign matter. Apply a thin layer of silicone oil to the fastening bolts to facilitate disassembly. Do not strike component surfaces with a heavy hammer during removal; if necessary, place a hardwood block beneath the part and use the hammer to tap the hardwood for disassembly.