The maintenance process of screw extruders is generally divided into daily maintenance and regular maintenance.
Daily maintenance
Regular routine work, which does not take up equipment operating hours, is usually completed during driving. The key is to clean the machine, lubricate all moving parts, tighten loose threaded parts, timely inspect and adjust the motor, control instruments, various working components and pipelines, etc.
Regular maintenance
After continuous operation for 2000h-3000h, the extruder needs to be shut down for inspection and maintenance. The machine needs to be disassembled for inspection, measurement, and identification of the wear of the main components, replacement of parts that have reached the specified wear limit, and repair of damaged parts.
Daily maintenance and inspection
- After the machine is shut down every day, it is necessary to squeeze out all the materials inside the machine to avoid heating difficulties and material extrusion blocking the sieve when it is turned on the next day.
- Due to the high requirements for environmental temperature and dust prevention in the electrical control system, it is necessary to isolate the electrical system from the production site and install ventilation or ventilation fans. It is recommended to place the electrical control cabinet in a simple room to maintain indoor cleanliness and ventilation, so that the indoor temperature does not exceed 40 ° C.
- The extruder is not allowed to run empty to prevent the screw and machine from rolling. When the host starts idling, it is not allowed to exceed 100r/min; When starting the host, start at low speed first. After starting the host, check for any abnormal noises and then slowly increase the host speed to within the allowable range of the process (it is better to adjust it to the optimal state). When the new machine is turned on, the current load should be between 60-70%, and the current during normal use should ideally not exceed 90%. If there is any abnormal noise during the operation of the extruder, it should be stopped immediately for inspection or repair.
- Turn on the oil pump before starting up, and then turn off the oil pump after shutting down; The water pump should remain in working condition throughout the entire production process and should not be stopped to prevent the material inside the barrel from decomposing and carbonizing due to the temperature rise of the barrel; The asbestos hood of the main motor fan needs to be cleaned regularly to avoid excessive dust adhesion and blockage of the hood, which may cause insufficient heat dissipation of the motor and trip due to overheating.
- The maintenance of the gearbox of the extruder is the same as that of a general standard gearbox. Mainly inspect the wear and failure of gears, bearings, etc.
- Distilled water or purified water must be used in the cooling water tank inside the barrel to prevent the formation of scale from blocking the cooling water channels in the barrel, causing temperature failure. Pay attention to adding appropriate amount of water during use to prevent scaling. If there is a blockage, the cylinder should be replaced for specific maintenance. If there is no blockage but the water output is small, it indicates the presence of scale. The water tank should be replaced with dilute hydrochloric acid for circulation, and the scale should be cleaned until normal before replacing with distilled water. The water in the general water tank is used to cool the barrel, while the natural water we use is used to cool the water tank. Regularly check the water quality of the cooling water tank, and replace it promptly if it becomes turbid.
- Check if the solenoid valve is working properly and if the coil is burnt out. If so, replace it promptly.
- Timely clean the dirt in the vacuum tank and the materials in the exhaust chamber to ensure smooth pipeline. If the sealing ring of the vacuum pump is worn, it should be replaced and checked regularly. If the output shaft jumps, it is definitely due to bearing damage or shaft fracture, and must be opened and replaced. If the bearing positions of the two output shafts of the gearbox are worn too severely, the box body must be replaced to avoid greater failure losses.
- Special attention should be paid to checking the wear and contact of the electric brush of the DC motor that drives the screw to rotate. The insulation resistance value of the motor should also be measured regularly to ensure that it is above the specified value. In addition, check whether the connecting wires and other components are rusted and take protective measures.
- The inner wall of the cooling water pipe attached to the extruder is prone to scaling and the outside is prone to corrosion and rust. Careful inspection should be carried out during maintenance. Excessive scale can block the pipeline and fail to achieve cooling effect. Severe corrosion can lead to water leakage. Therefore, descaling and anti-corrosion cooling measures must be taken during maintenance.
- Designate a dedicated person to be responsible for equipment maintenance and upkeep. And include detailed records of each maintenance and repair in the factory equipment management file.
Regular inspection and maintenance
- Regularly remove dust from the electrical control cabinet for 3 months.
- Regularly check the heater and other electrical wiring for looseness every three months. If there is looseness, please fix it.
- Regularly check whether the screws and other fasteners on the surface of the unit are loose and tighten them appropriately in a timely manner.
- Regularly calibrate temperature control instruments, check their correctness of adjustment and sensitivity of control.
- The machine head needs to be cleaned regularly when changing the screen. If the machine head pressure is found to be too high and replacing the disposable filter screen is ineffective, the machine head should be opened to clean up the waste.
- Regularly check the copper pipes of the extruder barrel cooling water to prevent them from being blocked by scale and affecting the cooling effect.
Lubrication requirements
- The gearbox should use designated lubricating oil (150 # or 220 #, heavy-duty gear oil for cold areas, medium load gear oil for warm areas), and add oil at the specified oil level height. Insufficient oil and lubrication can reduce the service life of parts; Excessive oil generates high heat, consumes a lot of energy, and is prone to deterioration, which also leads to lubrication failure and damage to parts. The sealing gasket (ring) of the gearbox oil leakage area should be replaced in a timely manner to ensure the amount of lubricating oil.
- The lubricating oil of the gearbox should be added or replaced in a timely manner (the dirt at the bottom of the oil tank should be cleaned regularly). For new machines, the oil should be changed every three months for the first time, every six months for the second time, and every year thereafter. The oil filter and suction pipe should be cleaned regularly (once a month).
- The gearbox of the feeder needs to be filled with butter, with a ratio of 2/3 butter and 1/3 gear oil.
- The extruder motor and belt feeder motor need to be injected with butter to protect their normal operation. Butter needs to be injected every six months, which is heat-resistant butter.
Other precautions
- Timely clean the dust, tools, and debris on the surface of the unit.
- Strictly prevent metal or other debris from falling into the hopper to avoid damaging the screw and barrel. To prevent iron impurities from entering the barrel, magnetic suction components or magnetic frames can be installed at the feeding port of the barrel to prevent impurities from falling in. The materials must be sieved in advance.
- Pay attention to the cleanliness of the production environment, and do not allow garbage and impurities to mix into the material and block the filter plate, which will affect the product output, quality, and increase the resistance of the machine head.
- When the extruder needs to be stopped for a long time, anti rust lubricating grease should be applied to the working surfaces of the screw, machine shaft, and machine head. Small screws should be suspended in the air or placed in specialized wooden boxes, and leveled with wooden blocks to prevent deformation or damage to the screws.
- When reinstalling the screws, please note that screws A and B (twin-screw extruder) must be in their original positions and cannot be replaced at will! After installing the new combination of screws on the machine, it is necessary to use a hand cranking tool first. If it rotates normally, it can be turned on at low speed. When the screw or barrel is not used for a long time, anti rust and anti fouling measures should be taken, and the screw should be hung and placed. If the threaded block is burned, the flame should move left and right, and be cleaned while burning. Do not overheat (turn blue or red), and do not put the threaded block into water.

