Screw L/D Ratio (Injection)
Compute the L/D (length/diameter) ratio of an injection or extrusion screw by dividing the effective length by the diameter. It is a central parameter of the plasticizing design: long screws (L/D 20–24) give better melt mixing and homogenization; short ones (L/D < 18) plasticize less but are more robust. It defines melt quality and the ability to process different materials. Enter the screw length and diameter.
Result
—
Razão L/D da rosca (injetora)
A rosca (parafuso) é o coração de uma injetora ou extrusora: ela transporta, comprime, funde e homogeneíza o plástico granulado. A razão L/D (comprimento dividido pelo diâmetro) é a sua proporção característica e diz muito sobre o que ela consegue fazer. Roscas longas (L/D 20–24, ou até 30 em extrusão) dão mais tempo e área para o cisalhamento e o calor agirem, resultando em fusão mais homogênea e melhor mistura de aditivos e pigmentos — essenciais para materiais técnicos. Roscas curtas (L/D 16–18) plastificam menos e misturam pior, mas são mecanicamente mais robustas e baratas, adequadas a materiais fáceis. A geometria das três zonas (alimentação, compressão e dosagem) ao longo desse comprimento completa o projeto. Informe o comprimento e o diâmetro da rosca.
Related Tools
Extruder Drag Flow
Calculate the drag flow of a single-screw extruder, Q_d = ½·π²·D²·N·H·sin(φ)·cos(φ), from the barrel diameter D (m), screw speed N (rev/s), metering-zone channel depth H (m) and helix angle φ (degrees). Drag flow is an extruder's main pumping mechanism: the melt is dragged forward by the relative motion between the rotating screw and the fixed barrel, like a screw pushing a nut that cannot turn. This viscous drag is proportional to screw speed and channel geometry, and would be the maximum theoretical flow with no back-pressure. In practice the net flow is the drag flow MINUS the pressure flow (the backflow from die/head resistance). The balance between drag and pressure sets the extruder's operating point on its characteristic curve. Drag flow is the basis of extrusion screw design, the process that makes pipes, profiles, films, sheets, wire and the pellets of nearly all transformed plastic. Enter the diameter, speed, channel depth and helix angle.
Screw Compression Ratio
Calculate an extrusion screw's compression ratio, CR = H_feed ÷ H_metering, from the channel depth in the feed zone H_feed and the metering zone H_metering. An extrusion screw has three zones: feed (deep channel, receiving solid pellets), compression (transition, channel tapering) and metering (shallow channel, homogenizing and pumping the melt). The compression ratio is how much the channel narrows from inlet to outlet — typically 2:1 to 4:1. This compression is essential: by reducing channel volume it compacts the pellets, expels trapped air (which must vent back through the feed, not go forward) and generates the shear and pressure that melt the polymer by viscous heating (plus barrel heat). The right ratio depends on the polymer: materials melting with large volume reduction and amorphous ones need different ratios from semicrystalline. A wrong ratio causes incomplete melting, air pumping, flow instability (surging) or degradation. It is one of the parameters that define whether a screw suits a given material. Enter the feed and metering channel depths.
Extruder Head Pressure
Estimate an extruder's head pressure, ΔP = (Q·μ) ÷ K, from the volumetric flow Q (m³/s), the melt viscosity μ (Pa·s) and the die conductance constant K (m³, summarizing the head+die flow-resistance geometry). Head pressure is the pressure the melt reaches at the screw end, before being forced through the die that gives the product its final shape. It results from the balance between the screw's pumping capacity (drag flow) and the die's resistance: more restrictive dies (smaller orifices, longer narrower channels) need higher pressure for the same flow. Extrusion pressures are very high — typically 100-400 bar (10-40 MPa) — and measuring and controlling them is essential: pressure indicates process state (blockages, viscosity changes from temperature, screw wear), governs flow and product uniformity, and has safety limits (excessive pressure can rupture the head or trigger burst disks). The screw-die balance, shown in the extruder's characteristic curve, is the heart of process control. Enter the flow, viscosity and die constant.
The results provided by this tool are for general informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional, financial, medical, legal, tax or accounting advice. Always confirm important decisions with a qualified professional and official sources.