Technical Problem Solving

Twin Screw Extrusion: Troubleshooting Compounding Challenges

Twin Screw Extrusion: Troubleshooting Compounding Challenges
Language: English
Length: 90 min
Nov 05, 2025 03:00 PM
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Course Description

Troubleshoot your compounding issues (low productivity rate, contaminants, melt fracture...) with twin-screw extruders by knowing how to adjust processing parameters as per your material or batch-size.

Expert Luis Roca will help you correlate compounding instabilities with the interactions between extruder configuration, process parameters and response variables (residence time, specific mechanical energy).
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Luis Roca
Luis Roca
AIMPLAS
0 courses

Luis Roca is the Head of the Compounding Department at AIMPLAS. He is an experienced polymer researcher specializing in compounding.

Throughout his career, Luis has worked as an R&D project developer, either as the lead or supporting researcher, collaborating with plastic companies to modify or enhance polymer properties across regional, national, and European projects. He has contributed to various projects involving nanomaterials, biopolymers, flame retardancy, natural fibers, electrical conductivity, and recycling.

With over 15 years of experience in processing a wide range of polymers—including commodity plastics, starch-based biopolymers, technical polymers, and high-performance materials—Luis has also delivered more than 3,000 hours of training courses to companies in areas such as compounding, additives, fillers, and injection molding. Additionally, he has presented at numerous seminars organized by AIMPLAS and at various conferences related to plastic modification and recycling.

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Why should you view this course?

The twin-screw extruder has been the equipment of choice for a long time. However, compounders still face processing issues (low productivity rate, contaminants, melt fracture...) due to the new additives/polymers introduced faster every year. Most of these challenges can be avoided if one knows how to adjust processing parameters…

Join this course and:

  1. Reach faster desired properties (tensile strength, HDT...) in your materials by wisely adjusting twin-screw extrusion parameters (polymer flow rate, screw profile, temperature...).

  2. Easily adapt your extrusion to suit new material or batch-size constraints thanks to a better understanding of extrusion science & rheology principles (melt-flow, flow stability…).

  3. Troubleshoot compounding instabilities (melt disturbance, surging…) by implementing the tips & tricks from the expert.

Who should join this course?

  • R&D Chemists, Engineers working with twin-screw extrusion at Compounders, Masterbatchers, who want to achieve new performance levels and solve problems they regularly encounter faster.

  • Complete the course and (unlock your personalized certificate)– your badge of accomplishment awaits!

  • This course is suitable for intermediate level proficiency
    Intermediate
Questions you will be able to answer after this course:

  1. How do I link extruder configuration and process settings to fix low throughput, contaminants, melt-fracture, or surging for my formulation

  2. Which screw/profile should I select to reach target properties (e.g., tensile strength, HDT) with minimal trial-and-error?

  3. What should I adjust first - feeding, melting, mixing, venting, or pressurization - when the line destabilizes?

  4. How do I read melt pressure, specific energy, torque, and residence-time signals to diagnose root causes and set control limits?

  5. Which temperature and screw-speed strategies stabilize flow when switching to new additives/polymers or smaller batch sizes?

  6. How can I balance throughput vs. quality to avoid over-shear or incomplete melting?

  7. How do rheology principles and basic simulation insights guide my parameter changes before line trials?

  8. What quick checks and standard work help me adapt recipes or batch sizes without losing stability?

Course Outline

Introduction to Twin-Screw Extrusion

  • Co-rotating Twin screw extruders (Co-TSE) characteristics
  • Influence of extruder configuration (types, geometry, size, throughput)
  • Extrusion Science & Rheology Principles

Compounding Design Process

Selection of Screws (design/profile) based on the desired properties and end-use

Optimization of process parameters

  • Feeding, melting, mixing, venting, pressurization
  • Effect of temperature, pressure, and other process parameters
  • Response variables (Melt pressure, Specific Energy, Torque, residence time) & their roles
  • Correlation of process parameters, response variables, and their effect on overall performance (through simulation)

Troubleshooting Compounding instabilities (melt-fracture, surging...)

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30 min Q & As for this course
Interact directly with your tutor and clarify your doubts
  1. 30 mins per session for Questions and Answers
  2. Clarify your doubts.
  3. If your questions are not answered, dont worry you will recieve tutor’s reply via email after sessions.
Twin Screw Extrusion: Troubleshooting Compounding Challenges
€299
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