Advanced Extrusion and Compression Techniques
Pexco’s roots are deeply embedded in working with our customers to develop custom plastic extrusions. Specialty, unique plastics applications are part of Pexco’s DNA.
We serve the needs of various markets and applications across North America. More than 50 engineering and production specialists provide consultation, design for manufacture, and production of custom extruded plastic products that help our customers solve their most challenging problems. We have extensive experience working with both industrial and consumer products companies.
Profile Extrusion
In a general sense, all shaped or configured extrusions are profile extrusions, whether tubular or another geometric cross-section in form. Any extrusion that is not a flat sheet or film product is often referred to as a profile extrusion. Basically, any plastic extrusion that is not a flat sheet or film product. However, Pexco tends to distinguish between open profile configurations and extrusions versus closed ones. And more to the point, closed configurations of simple geometries are often better referred to as tubes.
Technology
Custom plastic profile extrusion is Pexco’s DNA. For more than 50 years, Pexco has been developing and manufacturing profile extrusions. More than 80 engineering and production specialists provide consultation, design, and production of custom extrusions to meet a variety of end-use challenges. Profile extrusion is an art and skill. Maintaining quality and tolerances with the extrudate downstream from the die is no simple task. Pexco operates 6 internal tool and die centers across the United States, and we deploy the most sophisticated cooling methods.
Tube Extrusion
For over 50 years, For over 50 years, Pexco has been perfecting the art and science of extrusion, including both rigid and flexible custom plastic tube extrusions. Featuring the highest quality materials, and sizes ranging from fractions of an inch in diameter to as large as 8-10 inches, across both general purpose and high-performance material resins like nylon, polyurethane, and polyethylene.
Custom tubing is created when molten plastic polymers are pushed through a die, creating a hollow profile design well suited for a variety of applications. Our expertise covers various types of tubing, including our nationally recognized line of misting and fogging tubing. The Pexco family of companies offers a range of tubing extrusion styles, including heat shrink, non-shrink, recoil, and stock tubing.
Applications
- Misting and fogging
- Golf and landscape
- Environmental sampling
- Electrical
- Storage
- Solar energy
- Water purification
- Automotive
- Mechanical
- Fiber optics
- Marine
- Medical
Key Considerations for Plastic Tubing Applications
- Application – media transfer or pneumatic
- Usage – fluid or gas handling or process control
- Level of flexibility or rigidness required
- Minimum and maximum tolerances
- Operating pressure and temperature
- Resin compatibility with the media being conveyed
- Diameter specifications to match new/existing connections and fittings
- Wall thicknesses and durometers
- Chemical, UV, and abrasion resistance
- Required specifications (REACH, RoHS)
- Cost/performance assessment
- Color indicator requirements – standard or custom
- Standard or metric sizing
- Maximum working pressure
Tubing Varieties
Heat Shrink
- Polyolefin
- PVC
- Fluoroelastomer
- PVDF
- Chlorinated
- Polyolefin Elastomer
- Multi-Wall Adhesive
- Lined
- Medical Grade
- Food Grade
Non-Shrink Tubing
- Nylon
- PVDF
- Specialty Tubing – Weed & Paint Spray Hose
- Specialty Tubing – High Pressure Misting Tube
- Nylon Recoil Bulk Hose (hose only -fittings sold separately)
- Flexible PVC Insulating Tubing/Sleeving
- Medical Grade Tubing/Sleeving
Stock Tubing
- Polysulfone
- PVC (Clear or colored)
- Polycarbonate
- Polystyrene (HIPS)
- ABS
- Polyethylene (HDPE)
- Polypropylene
- Plastic Core Tubes
- ALTAFLO® 100 PTFE
- ALTAFLO® 200 FEP
- ALTAFLO® 2E0 FEP ENVIRO
- ALTAFLO® 350 THV
- ALTAFLO® 400 PFA
- ALTAFLO® 450 HP PFA
- ALTAFLO® 480 UHP PFA
- ALTAFLO® 480 SERIES DUAL CONTAINMENT TUBING UHP PFA
- ALTAFLO® 500 PVDF
- ALTAFLO® 550 PVDF
Co-Extrusion
Co-extrusion is the process by which more than one plastic material is simultaneously worked through a die, utilizing two or more extruders to manufacture a part that has two resins of differing properties.
Often, custom plastic co-extrusion is used to create an extruded part with multiple performance characteristics related to the different types of plastic materials. Pexco operates multiple co-extruders across its business platform. Common applications are transparent and opaque sections in the same extrusion in lighting applications or creating a hinge using a flexible material — or even possibly a gasket extruded directly onto a rigid part.
Technology
Pexco’s co-extrusion capabilities benefit our customers by creating products that feature different finishes, durometers, colors, and other diverse properties, all within a singularly fused component. These “tricks” are achieved through co-extrusion.
Tri-Extrusion
Tri-extrusion is basically the same process as co-extrusion, except with three different materials to create a part instead of just two.
The method is essentially the same, utilizing three extruders to manufacture a part that has three resins of differing properties. Custom plastic tri-extrusion is used to create an extruded part with multiple performance characteristics related to the different types of plastic materials. Common applications include transparent and opaque sections in the same extrusion for lighting applications, creating a hinge using a flexible material, or even possibly a gasket extruded direction onto a rigid part.
Technology
Pexco’s tri-extrusion capabilities benefit our customers by creating products that feature different finishes, durometers, colors, and other diverse properties all within a singularly fused component. These “tricks” are achieved through tri-extrusion.
Crosshead Extrusion
Crosshead extrusion is a common term in the wire and cable manufacturing industry. However, for specialty and other custom plastic applications, Pexco also makes use of the technology, which effectively draws a wire or other type of metal shape through a melt extrusion which in turn coats and envelops the wire.
Crosshead extrusion refers to operating some sort of material or substance, often metal or wire, through a “crosshead” and extruding over a substrate. The metal material, for example, crosses with the melt flow at the head of the extrusion process, hence the name. In this scenario, a smaller machine runs to the side of the primary extruder, whereby the flow of plastic is manipulated to allow a solid material, say a copper wire or some fibrous material, to feed into the plastic melt and become part of the extrusion.
Crosshead extrusion is used when such other materials cannot pass through the machine’s screw and barrel, unlike a chopped fiber set in the masterbatch for reinforcement properties. There may be single-layer extrusion crossheads, co-extrusion crossheads, or multi-layer extrusion crossheads.
Technology
Pexco’s tri-extrusion capabilities benefit our customers by creating products that feature different finishes, durometers, colors, and other diverse properties all within a singularly fused component. These “tricks” are achieved through tri-extrusion.
Extrusion Design
Pexco is here to help you tackle your most challenging plastic part design and manufacturing roadblocks. If you know you need a plastic profile extrusion for your next job but are unsure about how to design it or what material to specify, give us a call. One of our experts will help guide you through the process.
Sometimes plastics just isn’t the right choice for your application and we’ll tell you that up-front. There are other times that we can help save you time and money by working with your engineering group to propose changes to your existing design that will make the part much easier to manufacture.