Extrusion
The Importance of Plastic Extrusion
Plastic extrusion is a high-efficiency, continuous process widely used to produce everything from pipes and profiles to films, sheets, and insulation. It plays a critical role across industries such as construction, packaging, automotive, and electrical.
Its benefits include:
• Continuous, high-volume production
• Custom-shaped profiles with minimal material waste
• Consistent dimensional control
• Broad use of polymer types and additives
Why Extrusion Tool Steel Selection Matters
Extrusion tools such as dies, screws, and adapters are exposed to intense mechanical and thermal stress. Choosing the right tool steel significantly affects:
• Tool life and wear resistance
• Dimensional accuracy and stability
• Surface quality of extruded products
• Resistance to corrosion and thermal fatigue
• Maintenance intervals and overall production efficiency
What Makes an Excellent Extrusion Tool Steel?
Whether sourced from Uddeholm or BÖHLER, tool steels for extrusion must deliver long-term performance under tough operating conditions. Critical properties include:
• Wear resistance to withstand abrasive fillers and fiber-reinforced plastics
• Corrosion resistance for aggressive polymers like PVC or halogenated compounds
• High toughness to avoid cracking under high-pressure extrusion
• Hardness retention at elevated temperatures (up to ~400°C)
• Thermal fatigue resistance for repeated heating and cooling cycles
• Dimensional stability to maintain tight tolerances in long production runs
Available in large dimensions and customized formats to suit a wide range of extrusion tooling needs: