Troubleshooting Extursion Problems in Coextrusion Film Applications, 2006 PLACE Conference

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One of the biggest challenges in actual extrusion operations is to identify extrusion problems in the most efficient way to reduce both scrap and downtime. With the emergence of coextrusion film applications, especially the tendency now is to have seven or more layers to achieve the desirable final film properties in the most economical way possible, it has become increasingly difficult to pinpoint the problematic layer or layers. In this paper, problems often encountered in coextrusion will be identified and solutions will be suggested. Finally, we will present a real-world case study to help with the illustrations. It is the goal of this paper to try to summarize the common issues that are frequently seen in coextrusion, and present a systematic way of tackling these issues.