How to improve performance, increase life span and reduce costs in screw segments for abrasive extruder environments

Extrusion processes are widely used in industries and processing environments where components can be subject to ever-increasing abrasive wear and torque levels. This article discovers how Bodycote’s Supermet Fe69 material can significantly improve resistance to abrasion and torque in extrusion applications.

Traditional tool steels have their limitations in these environments and can only offer basic functionality. These technical barriers can be overcome by adopting high-performance alloys and deploying advanced manufacturing technologies and the life span of components extended.

By choosing an optimised material for extrusion, the process can increase throughput and product quality at many different levels. Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) technology is a powerful resource for industries where powder metallurgy materials have been the gold standard for the extruder market for many years. The extruder features a so-called tribological system, built on the structure, that is, screw, barrel and material processes, and the load combination such as stress, motion, pressure, and temperature; all these parameters affect the choice of a suitable material.

Figure 1: a broached extruder special screw segment showing the internal spline manufactured from Bodycote Supermet Fe69. Along with bringing technology innovation to the industry, Bodycote is a well-placed and secure strategic partner for your extruder business.

Based on their proven performance with challenging polymers and other extruded media, Bodycote presents Supermet Fe69 as the solution. Supermet Fe69 is a high alloyed vanadium cold work steel produced by powder metallurgy. It is characterized by good wear resistance, low warping upon hardening and improved cutting-edge stability.

The adoption of HIP combination bar (combi bar), manufactured from Bodycote Supermet Fe69 enables the use of harder materials in the manufacture of screw segments without the risk of cracking, resulting in higher durability. Not only will the screw last longer and perform better, the soft core allows the use of broaching to reduce the time required to manufacture each part, ultimately saving costs and improving lead times.

Bodycote is hosting a technical webinar where they will introduce the benefits of powder metallurgy Supermet Fe69 and the advantages of using combi bars for screw segment manufacturing. The event will take place on May 12th at 12:00 PM Eastern time.  To register to attend or to receive the recording, please visit: https://bodycote.zoom.us/webinar/register/8716194456960/WN_9xiGLpnMQOOjN6_Xw8oHjA