Manufacturing process of a blend of a film or a filament via DSM

Materials and suppliers:

DSM Maastricht
dye 5mm
dye1mm
slot die
twin screw extruder
feed cone
DSM Xplore movie
DSM Xplore son (photos)
polymers:
PES
PKHB
PC
cleaning of polymers:
Polyprop

UX
CX

1. Preparation of materials
Dry the polymer and the charges in the incubator. Ideally, this step is done the day before the extrusion.
The first image below shows the DSM Micro 15 extruder used in the laboratory of the UCL / IMCN-BSMA. Make
sure it is clean (no deposits or polymer residue or dust on the walls of the chamber). Place the appropriate tip to
the output of the extrusion chamber: 5mm die for a ring, 1mm and 0.5mm die to a filament, flat die for a movie.

Then place the screw extruder. To do this, use the head of the screw on the cap provided for this purpose, located
above the chamber of the extruder. Tip: a point is observable on the head of the screw (see photo left), place it
on the most wide slot of the nozzle. Once positioned screws, you can close the chamber of the extruder using the
6 screws. Caution, be sure to tighten strongly!

Placing the feed cone (and cooling) at the head of the injection chamber, the aperture positioned to the right.
Lightly tighten the screw to secure the cone. Tip: For your convenience, you can first position the back of the
cone, then place the extrusion screw and close the extrusion chamber and then position the remainder of the
cone. Then add the extension cone that allows you to feed the chamber as you work.

Then connect the cooling system. There are two pipes connected to a cold water circuit. Tip: Be sure to
first connect the hose "out" and the "in" pipe. Make sure the hose "out" is well positioned in the drainage
gutter.
Then open the cold water current. To do this, turn the handle slightly (low speed sufficient) green pipe
located above the installation. Tip: Doing this before heating installation to avoid that the cone is too hot
and your polymer (or the cooling pipes) do not melt. Also check that there is no leakage, as this could
cause condensation and incorporate water into your polymer.

2. Process
Turn the extruder via the switch on the left of it. Then you get to the main screen. The mode "STOP" is in progress
and only the right indicator "MOTOR OFF" is on. No order is then usable. Ensure that the red safety button is not
pressed.

Then press "MENU". This takes you to the screen shown at left. Press "Ope. Mode". A control screen appears.
Then press "Cont. RUN / STOP". The mode "STOP" is underway. Press "STOP" in the table, then press "RUN" and
then "ENT". The "RUN" mode is engaged. The controls are operational.

To return to the main screen, then press "MENU". On the next screen, press "Menu Ope" and finally on "ti0
Monitor"

You can then heat the extrusion chamber to the desired temperature. To do this, press the temperature in the
table tabs (TR1,2,3 lines TF1,2,3 and Melt column in the set SV) followed by the "Set" button. You arrive then at
the temperature setting screen. Enforce the set temperature (maximum 400 C) by pressing the reference tab in
the table and indicating the desired temperature. Press "Ent" to confirm. Return to the main screen by pressing
"Back". Do this for each set. To activate the heater, then press the switch "HEATER ON".

To activate the screws, press the column tab "SV" line "RPM", followed by the "Set" button. You then arrive at the
speed setting screen screws. Enforce the desired speed (between 0 and 200 rpm) by pressing the reference tab in
the table and indicating the desired speed. Press "Ent" to confirm. Return to the main screen by pressing "Back".
To activate the rotation of the screws, then press the switch "ON-MOTOR"

To ensure that the bypass is closed, check that it is turned to the right (the right image shows the interior of the
chamber when the bypass is closed). Tip: It may be that the bypass is blocked. For this, increase the temperature
to facilitate the removal or clean it (see point 6). Do not try to force as this may break it (the room costs 5,000
and deadlines for repairs are 3 months) !!!

Once the temperature of implementation of your achievement polymer, you can feed the extruder with it.
According to the object you produce, different parameters can be controlled;
Blend
For this, you will work with 10g batch. Mix / polymer (s) (ideally, the powder state), and charges in the
desired proportions. Feeding the extruder via the feed cone by slowly adding the mixture. Check power
supply by monitoring the torque of the screws ("Newt" on the main screen). It can not be greater than
8000. The screw rotation speed also has an influence on this parameter. As regards the quality of the
blend, the higher the rotational speed of the screw is high and the mixing time becomes longer, the
dispersion and homogenization of the mixture will be promoted. Count on average 5-10 minutes per batch
to get a good result. Then open the bypass, pull the rod using pliers (so you do not burn) and repeat as
many times as necessary. For pellets, you can also pass the polymer cane in a mill.

 son
To perform a +/- constant diameter monofilament, use the 1 or 0.5mm die and add the device to the DSM Xplore
outlet of the extruder (+/- 20cm). Feed the extruder via the feed cone by slowly adding the pellets. Check the
power supply by monitoring the torque of the screws ("Newt" on the main screen). It can not be greater than
8000. The rotational speed of the screw also has an influence on this parameter (however, in the context of
filaments of implementation, the rotational speeds of the screws are generally quite low). The settings you can
control from the extruder to define the diameter or stretching your filament are: the speed of rotation of the
screws (RPM), torque (load + or -) and the temperature setting of work (it is less common to change this setting).
You can also master certain parameters from the additional installation. Below, from the main screen, you can
choose different options (Note that you are working in manual mode). On the main screen, press "PROGRAM".
You can control the speed of winding "Winding speed" and the winding force "Winding torque". You can change
these parameters by pressing the corresponding numerical value, indicating the value you want using the numeric
keypad that appears on the screen and confirm your decision by pressing "ENT". In the "PROGRAM" menu you
can also press "TRAVERSE SETTINGS" to control the parameters of the filament winding. You can then decide how
far your filament wound on the reel "Wind width" and the spacing between coil turns "Pitch". Change these
values in the same way as the stretching parameters. Finally, you can control the parameters of the tensile
strength of the filament before winding by changing the value "Torque settings". You can always return to the
main menu by pressing "RETURN". Once applied the settings, you can start drawing / winding process. However,
these parameters can be modified during the procedure.

Before opening the bypass of the extruder, you can put the reels in motion. To do this, press the "MOTOR ON".
The coils will operate but the transverse axis remains in standby. You can then open the bypass and bring the
filament to the first coil. Then go through the filament below the slot, move it over the small rotary axis and
performed two to three turns between this axis and the coil underneath. Then move the filament from
underneath the small pulley to bring it to the transverse axis. Pass the filament above the transverse axis and
then in the notch and finally on the spool. (Tip: the roll pushed onto the winding core has two notches on either
side of the roll diameter After the filament on the transverse axis, manually lock the rotation of the roller and
attach the filaments. passing through these two notches. It will then immobilized and may be wound more easily.)
Then press "STARTUP" and the transverse axis will start.
Note: this operation requires some skill. So do not get frustrated! Start with mild prior to complicate the system
parameters. Also, try to keep a couple "NEWT" (to the extruder) as constant as possible by feeding the extruder
continuously.
You can stop the operation by pressing the "MOTOR ON" and turning the bypass.

film
To make a film of constant thickness +/-, use the flat die and add the device to the DSM Xplore outlet of the
extruder (pre-cutting allows to calibrate the equipment against the extruder). Feed the extruder via the feed cone
by slowly adding the pellets continuously. Check power supply by monitoring the torque of the screws ("Newt" on
the main screen). It can not be greater than 8000. The screw rotation speed also has an influence on this
parameter. The settings you can control from the extruder to define the thickness and stretch your film are: the
speed of rotation of the screws (RPM), torque (load + or -) and the setting temperature implemented (for some
polymers, an extrusion temperature / higher film usually can facilitate handling).

You can master certain parameters from the additional installation. You can control the winding speed "SPEED"
and the winding force "TORQUE". Space the two blocks of the installation of a few centimeters. Connecting the
cooling device to a compressed air valve. Use only a very low rate. According to the extruded polymer, and for
convenience at the beginning of extrusion, set down device before the start of the extrusion (the furthest from
the slot die). Press the "ON" button of the complementary facility to put the running rollers. Then turn the bypass
of the extruder and pull the film using pliers. Spend it on the first roll back and made it over the second. Hold the
film relied on the second roll until it has come full circle. This will set the film on the installation and will prevent it
from slipping during the winding. Then you can approach the cooling device. This step can be critical. According to
the polymer, one can approximate the cooling bar until it touches the flat die. (eg PES to +/- 5cm, PKHB against,
against PC).
Tip: At the beginning of the extrusion, +/- standard settings to use the polymer implementation of temperature
are: Torque = 30 Speed = 900 = 50 RPM, torque = NEWT 4000-5000 ... Then adjust as the material behavior.

Note: Obtaining the correct winding parameters requires a bit of skill. So do not get frustrated! Also, try to keep a
couple "NEWT" (to the extruder) as constant as possible by feeding the extruder continuously.
You can stop the operation by pressing "OFF" and turning the bypass.
Note: Depending on the amount of film production, you can use a DC power supply (warning, it does not achieve
a constant film the thickness control is done by controlling parameter NEWT Continuous power!. does not imply
that you can leave.

To ensure your results and control the thickness of your movie, you can use a micrometer. This will, among other
to control the thickness without stopping manipulation and thereby correct the settings as and measurements of
your desiderata. Caution nonetheless measurement error related to the presence of fillers in polymer (eg The film
thickness can measure 120m when in reality, the polymer thickness is only 20 .mu.m This is very common in the
presence. agglomerates). Another way to ensure the good film thickness is a measure of the surface density.

3. Cleaning
Before cleaning the walls of the extruder, try to empty the maximum. To do this, increase the rotation
speed of the screws "RPM" up until a couple of screws "NEWT" as low as possible. Then, depending on
the implementation temperature of the polymer which you impose, use a cleaning suitable polymer
Polyplus if less than 250 C. Add Polyplus- by eating cone and proceed by batches to also clean the
recycling circuit of the extrusion chamber. Work at the temperature of your implementation polymer.
When the color of Polyplus- becomes clearer (off-white), you can reduce the temperature to 120 C,
make three batches of cleaning and finally down to 80 C and perform batch finish.
UV CX and if higher than 300 C. Add UV clean polymer (This includes glass fibers that facilitate cleaning) by the
feed cone and proceed by batches in order to also clean the recycling circuit of the extrusion chamber. For each
batch, leave UV during 5min temperature implementation of your polymer. During extrusion, UV out colored redbrown fashion. After several batches, then you can use the polymer CX. Do some batches until the color becomes
lighter CX. You can then reduce the temperature to 200 C. Then use the Polyplus- (see above).
You can undo your sector (flat or round). Clean the surface of the support using a wire brush and / or a razor
blade. For the inside of these parts,
For a die 5, 1 or 0.5mm, simply scratch using a needle to extract the residual polymer
For flat die, unscrew all the screws in order to gain access to the inside of the room. Then each element to
scrape with a wire brush and a razor blade. Then, before repositioning the various screws, apply anti-seize agent
(XXXXXXX) high temperature resistant. Replace then the set.

Pics
Note: To get rid of all the polymer residue present on these parts, you can also switch to the Bunsen burner for a
few minutes and / or immersing in an organic solvent capable of dissolving the polymer that you used.
PICTURES
Then open the heating enclosure by unscrewing the 6 fastening screws and helping you two notches on the right
side of the enclosure. The cleaning of polymer flexible +/- Polyplus- will be on the screws and the wall. Disconnect
the extrusion screw their support. Scratch the Polyplus- bottom screws. Finish by brushing the screws using a wire
brush and scrape residue with a razor blade. Note: Due to the use of polymers extruded at very high
temperatures (400 C), it is possible that the cleaning is not 100% effective. In this case, in agreement with the
laboratory manager, use the SCHWING (heated sand bath) to remove all traces of polymer. Finally, pass a cloth
soaked in acetone (or an appropriate solvent) to ensure the cleanliness of the screw.
Pics
Scrape the walls strongly at 80 C using a wire brush. Finish work razor and acetone (or appropriate solvent).
Make sure the corners and bottom of the enclosure (where lies the screws) no longer contains any trace of
polymer. Finally, detach the central pin located at the top of the enclosure and highly clean with a wire brush.
(Photos)
use a needle to make sure it does not stay polymer at the exit of the extrusion hole.
Pics
In order not to damage the bypass exercising, cold, overly large forces on its axis, it is also possible to disassemble
it to clean the shaft. For this, unscrew the black ball at the end. Unscrew then the internal screw. Pull toward you
while the outer part of the bypass. Then push the inner portion inward of the bedroom. Clean the space in which
lies the bypass and the axis of the bypass itself with a wire brush. Then reattach all on the installation.

+ other photos
Close the flow of water used in the cooling circuit. Disconnect the two pipes (start with the IN pipe). Then
unscrew the power / cooling system and clean with acetone.
4. Visual inspection of samples microscopy +
5. Checking son and film thickness
6. Note and common failures
temperature implementation of some polymers (PKHB, PES, PC, ...)
polymer cleaning
maintenance bypass
Security: jam (couple ... careful, screw rotation, load material overflow in entonoir.)
overheated