A lot of people who work with extruders have tried this.
They have a problem with contamination like specks showing up and they think, “Lets just keep running new resin through it for a while.”
Sometimes it looks like it is working. The output starts looking cleaner. Things seem to get better.
A few hours later or sometimes during the next production run the same problem comes back.
We have seen this happen a lot.
The idea that running resin will clean the extruder is easy to understand.
If material keeps moving through the extruder it should carry residue out with it. The problem is that residue does not always behave the way people think it will.
New resin flows through the extruder easily. That is what it is supposed to do. Old residue can stick to the extruder screw and barrel surfaces really well.
New resin does not have the power to remove this residue. It is like spraying water on a stained surface and expecting the stain to disappear.
Some loose material might come off. The stubborn stuff usually stays.
Why The Problem Often Shows Up Later
This is where things get frustrating. The machine might look clean after a flush.
Production. Everyone moves on. Then small defects start showing up. A few black. A streak in the product.
Someone complains about the quality.
What is happening is that old residue is slowly breaking free from areas that were not properly cleaned.
We have noticed that people often focus on the cost of material when they are cleaning. They forget about something bigger: the time the machine is not working.
Extra downtime, repeated changeovers and scrap material all cost money. These costs add up quickly.
A Better Way To Clean
That is where a special cleaning material for extruders comes in. This material is designed for cleaning. Its job is to remove contamination from the extruder. That is often the difference.
Not more material,. Better cleaning power.
At UNICLEANPLUS we have worked with people who have had problems with color and black specks. We have learned that many cleaning problems are not because people are not trying hard enough. They are just using the materials.
At the end of the day most people who work with extruders are not trying to save a resin. They are trying to keep production moving without surprises.
If contamination long changeovers or quality issues are a problem it may be worth looking at the cleaning process.
The team, at UNICLEANPLUS works with manufacturers every day to make changeovers smoother and less frustrating. Give our purging compound for extruders a try now to see the difference!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can new resin clean an extruder?
It can help flush loose material but it will not remove old residue stuck to the extruder screw and barrel surfaces.
Why do black specks keep coming after flushing?
In cases contamination is still inside the machine and breaks loose during later production runs.
Is a cleaning material only useful when changing colors?
No, it is useful during transitions, shutdowns, startups and routine maintenance.
Will a special cleaning material help reduce downtime?
It can by making cleaning faster and more effective which can reduce production interruptions and scrap.