The heating system of a twin-screw extruder is a core unit ensuring the plasticization and melting quality of materials. Its components include heating elements, temperature control equipment, and auxiliary parts, with significant price differences influenced by material, specification, purchase volume, brand, and other factors. Based on quotes from mainstream suppliers in the current market (January 2026), this report sorts out the price ranges and influencing factors of each component by category in US dollars, providing a reference for procurement decisions.
I. Price Analysis of Core Heating Elements
Heating elements are the core of the heating system. Classified by material into copper cast, aluminum cast, ceramic, mica, and other types, they are suitable for different heating scenarios of barrels and machine heads, with a large price span.
1. Copper Cast Heaters
Copper cast heaters feature high thermal conductivity and high temperature resistance, making them suitable for key parts such as barrels and machine heads that require rapid and uniform heating. Their prices are affected by specifications and purchase methods:
- Copper cast machine head heater (set): Unit price 900.00-910.00 USD, minimum order quantity 1 set, with a 1-year warranty, suitable for plastic granulators and other scenarios.
- Copper cast barrel heater (pair): Unit price 90.00-100.00 USD/pair, minimum order quantity 1 pair, 1-year warranty, applicable to twin/three-screw extruders.
- Custom copper cast heating plate: Unit prices of non-standard specifications vary greatly; conventional models are about 500-1500 USD, and bulk purchases can be negotiated for better prices.
2. Aluminum Cast Heaters
Aluminum cast heaters offer excellent cost performance and uniform heat dissipation, suitable for medium and low-temperature heating scenarios, with a wide price range:
- Aluminum cast heating coil (single piece): Unit price 15.00-120.00 USD, minimum order quantity 1 piece, some without warranty. Prices vary significantly by specification, suitable for conventional barrel heating.
- Aluminum cast heating plate: Standard model unit price 35 USD, minimum order quantity 5 pieces; customized model unit price 30.00-50.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 2 pieces, with certification guarantee.
- Aluminum cast barrel heating set: Unit price 55.00 USD/set, 1-year warranty, minimum order quantity 1 set, suitable for small twin-screw extruders.
3. Ceramic Heaters
Ceramic heaters have good insulation and high temperature resistance (some up to 1400℃), suitable for high-temperature heating scenarios. Prices fluctuate with specifications and precision:
- Ceramic heating coil (diameter 140*200mm): Unit price 22.00-30.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 5 pieces, 1-year warranty.
- Small ceramic heating element (220V-240V, 75W): Unit price 1.20-2.50 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 1 piece, no warranty, suitable for auxiliary heating.
- High-temperature ceramic belt heater (1200℃): Unit price 33.00-38.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 5 pieces, 1-year warranty, suitable for extruders supporting injection molding.
- Custom ceramic heating plate: Unit price 4.00-7.54 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 10 pieces, suitable for conventional temperature control scenarios.
4. Mica Heaters
Mica heaters have low cost and stable thermal conductivity, suitable for general working conditions, with the most affordable prices:
- Stainless steel mica heating coil: Unit price 1.10-5.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 1-5 pieces. Some products come with a 1-year warranty; for bulk purchases (over 1000 pieces), the unit price can be as low as 0.97 USD.
- Rapid heating mica heater: Unit price 12.00-15.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 10 pieces, suitable for general scenarios of extruders and injection molding machines.
5. Tubular Heaters
Including U-type, finned, and other types, suitable for auxiliary air and liquid heating scenarios. Price differences stem from power and structure:
- U-type finned tubular heater: Unit price 12.50-23.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 1-5 pieces. Some models have a 3-year warranty, suitable for drying heating systems.
- Flanged immersion heating rod (customized high power): Unit price 41.00-42.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 1 piece, 1-year warranty, suitable for oil heating scenarios.
- Ordinary tubular heating element (1KW-2KW): Unit price 4.00-49.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 1 piece, 2-year warranty, suitable for ovens and dryers.
II. Price Analysis of Temperature Control Equipment
Temperature control equipment ensures heating precision, divided into mechanical thermostats and digital thermostats. Prices increase with the improvement of intelligence.
- Mechanical bimetallic thermostat: Unit price 0.12-1.50 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 1-200 pieces, 3-year warranty, suitable for simple temperature control scenarios.
- Ordinary digital thermostat (e.g., STC-3008 model): Unit price 3.99-5.50 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 1 piece, no warranty, suitable for small extruder systems.
- Intelligent thermostat (with cooling/heating dual control, e.g., Inkbird ITC-308): Unit price 18.50-34.99 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 5 pieces, with a 90-day low-price guarantee.
- High-temperature dedicated thermostat (compatible with 1400℃ ceramic heaters): Unit price 20.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 10 pieces, 2-year warranty.
III. Price Analysis of Auxiliary Heating Parts
Including heating supporting fans, wiring components, thermal insulation parts, etc. The unit price of a single set is low, but the cumulative cost of bulk purchases cannot be ignored.
- Heating and cooling fan combination (compatible with 55/110 conical twin screws): Unit price 10.00-300.00 USD/set, minimum order quantity 4 sets, covering different power requirements.
- Temperature control bracket (compatible with PTC ceramic heaters): Unit price 4.27-6.00 USD/set, minimum order quantity 1 set, 1-year warranty.
- High-temperature ceramic skeleton heating radiant tube: Unit price 150.00-550.00 USD/piece, minimum order quantity 1 piece, 1-year warranty, suitable for extruders supporting heat treatment industrial furnaces.
IV. Analysis of Price-Influencing Factors
1. Purchase Volume
Most suppliers implement tiered pricing: small-batch purchases (1-5 pieces) are at retail prices with the highest unit price; bulk purchases (over 10 pieces) can enjoy a 5%-15% discount; for large orders (over 1000 pieces), such as mica heating coils, the unit price can be reduced to about 1/10 of the retail price.
2. Material and Performance
Material grade directly determines the price: copper cast > ceramic > aluminum cast > mica. For the same specification, the unit price of copper cast heaters is 10-20 times that of mica heaters; high-temperature and high-precision products (such as 1200℃ ceramic heaters) are 30%-50% more expensive than ordinary models.
3. Brand and Certification
International brand products have a 30%-50% premium over similar Chinese products but come with a longer warranty period (some up to 3 years); products with certifications such as CE and KC are 10%-20% more expensive than those without certifications, suitable for high-end manufacturing scenarios.
4. Customization Requirements
Non-standard specifications (such as special size, power, interface) require separate mold opening, with a price 20%-100% higher than standard products, along with an increased minimum order quantity and extended delivery cycle.
V. Procurement Suggestions
- For conventional working conditions, prioritize aluminum cast or mica heaters to balance cost and performance; for high-temperature and high-precision scenarios, select copper cast or ceramic heaters to avoid hidden costs caused by equipment failures.
- Negotiate tiered discounts with suppliers for bulk purchases, determine the purchase volume based on production plans to reduce unit costs; for small-batch maintenance and replacement, choose suppliers with a minimum order quantity of 1 piece to ensure supply efficiency.
- Prioritize products with warranties; although the unit price is slightly higher, it can reduce subsequent maintenance and replacement costs; for high-end manufacturing fields, select products with complete certifications to comply with industry standards.
Note: The prices in this report are compiled based on supplier quotes from platforms such as Alibaba from September 2025 to January 2026. Market prices may fluctuate due to raw material changes and supply chain conditions; actual purchases shall be based on real-time quotes.
