POLYMER PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

POLYMER & PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

REPORT NO:

02 (Extrusion Blow Molding)

SUBMITTED BY:

WAJAHAT GHULAM RASOOL

REGISTRATION NO:

2016-PE-12

SUBMITTED TO:

SIR ENGR.MUZAMIL HAMZA

GROUP NO:

UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, LAHORE

1
 POLYMER PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

Extrusion Blow Molding

Objective
To observe and study the working of Extrusion Blow Molding Machine and to study the effect of
processing variables on the product dimensions and weight.

Equipment and Accessories Required

Extrusion blow molding machine, cutter, Vernier caliper, and thickness gauge

Material
Extrusion blow molding grade High density polyethylene (HDPE F00952) supplied by SABIC
Company.

Safety Precautions
Use gloves while opening and closing mold and wear mask to avoid inhaling fumes.

Abstract
The granular sample of thermoplastic (HDPE) material was processed into hollow three
dimensional parts using extrusion blow molding. The granules were softened and were converted
into molten form in the extrusion section and then the molten material was extruded into a vertical
tube (parison). The parison surrounded by the open mold which was closed and the air was blown
in the mold which allowed a material to attain the shape of mold. The effects of different processing
parameters on the final product were then observed.

Introduction
Extrusion blow molding is a machine that is widely used for the production of plastic water bottles
and various other hollow products and the large scale applications includes water tank and drums
that can be manufactured using extrusion blow molding process. It consist of hopper and an
extrusion screw which is used for producing shearing action and then molten material is passed
through die as shown is figure 1 (a) which has an opening in the mold cavity [1] .The air is then
blown in the mold and the knife is present to cut the material in every single cycle. Figure 1 (b)
shows the industrial extrusion blow molding machine.

2
 POLYMER PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

This equipment is widely used in industry due to its lower mold cost resulting due to the lower
pressure [2]. The extrusion blow molding equipment is the greatest process user of high density
polyethylene HDPE to provide large holding tanks and automotive fuel tanks.

(a)

(b)

Figure 1: (a) Extrusion Blow modling machine (b) Schematic of Extrusion Blow Molding Machine

3
 POLYMER PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

Experimental Procedure
Extrusion blow molding machine was first turned on and the HDPE material was fed into the
hopper. The material was then moved towards the melting/compression zone of extruder while the
heaters of feeding, melting and metering zone were switched on. The processing temperature was
maintained at 200oC. After that the material moved towards the metering zone and finally the
product passed through the die of extrusion blow molding machine. The parison was obtained after
material moved through the die. The parison was then dropped into the two halves of mold and as
the desired length of parison was achieved, the extruder was turned off and the mold was closed
manually. The air was blown inside the parison through the pump for approximately 30 seconds
and then the cooling time of 30 seconds was also provided to obtain a finished product. The product
was obtained after cooling inside the mold and the mold was then opened. The thickness of the
product was measured through the thickness gauge. And the process was repeated to obtain 5
products.

Results and Discussion

Extrusion blow molding machine was used to produce HDPE bottles and 3 bottles were prepared.
These three HDPE bottles were obtained at different pressure values and the thickness variations
of the HDPE bottles are shown in Table 1. Ideally there should be decrease in the thickness of
HDPE bottle walls as the pressure tends to increase. Thickness of the HDPE bottles were measured
using the thickness gauge and are reported in table 1 corresponding to the pressure values for that
particular HDPE bottle.
Figure 2 shows the samples taken from HDPE water bottles, manufactured at different values of
pressure, for which values of thickness were obtained. Also it can be observed from table 1 that
the increase in pressure resulted in the decreased thickness of samples.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 2: HDPE bottle sample at different cooling time readings

(a) Sample at 15sec

(b) Sample at 30sec

(c) Sample at 40sec

4
 POLYMER PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

Questionnaires

Question 1
Calculation of Apparent shear rate (s-1) in the annular die for processing run
6𝑄
𝛾𝑎̇ = 𝑊𝐻 2 (1)

Where Q is the volumetric output rate which can be calculated by using equation 2, W is the mean
circumference which can be calculated by equation 3, and H is the die gap which is given as 1mm
(0.001 m).
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒
𝑄= (2)
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦

𝑊 = 2𝜋𝑟 (3)
Where r is the radius of die exit

Diameter is given as D=18 mm (0.018 m)

0.018
𝑟= = 9 × 10−3
2
𝑊 = 2(3.14)(9 × 10−3 )

𝑊 = 0.05652 𝑚

Mass flow rate 𝑚̇ = 322 𝑘𝑔/𝑚𝑖𝑛

𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑚̇ 322

𝑄= = = = 0.4025 𝑚3 /𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝜌 800

6𝑄 6(0.4025)
𝛾𝑎̇ = 2
=
𝑊𝐻 (0.05652)(1 × 10−9 )2

5
 POLYMER PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

𝛾𝑎̇ = 4.2728 × 1019 1/𝑚𝑖𝑛

𝛾𝑎̇ = 2.5637 × 1021 1/𝑠

Question 2
Shear rate was observed to be enhanced, as discussed in literature, as far as screw speed is
increased. This results due to the increase in viscous and shear forces between material and screw
and material to material itself [3]. The relation between shear rate and screw speed is shown in
equation 4. And from equation 4, it can be clearly observed that the increase in shear rate occurs
as the N (screw speed is enhanced).

𝛾̇ = 𝜋𝐷𝑁 × 60 × ℎ (4)

Where D is the diameter of screw (mm), N is the screw speed (rpm), and h is the channel depth.

Also the increase in melt temperature was observed to result in increased shear rate values as the
polymeric melt was observed to become more viscous with the increase in melt temperature
therefore resulted in higher shear rate values [4].

Question 3
Extensional (Elongation) viscosity in the literature was discussed to be a function of shear rate and
it was observed that the initially the increase in the elongation viscosity occurred with the increase
in shear rates but after that it was observed that the significant decrease in elongation viscosity was
occurred as the shear rates were increased further as shown in figure 3.

Figure 3: Extensional viscosity vs. shear rate for HDPE

6
 POLYMER PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

Elongational viscosity was also predicted in literature to be higher for higher molecular weight
polymers and as HDPE F00952 is of significantly higher molecular weight, as discussed by
SABIC Company, therefore the elongational viscosity of sample under consideration is considered
to be high [5]. Also the MFI is related with the viscosity as shown in equation 5[6].

𝑀𝐹𝐼 × η = 4.98 × 104 ρL (5)

Where η is the viscosity and L is is the elongational length. And the MFI value of HDPE was
reported as 0.05 g/10 min at 190 °C and 2.16 kg.

Question 4
𝜌𝑔𝑡𝐿2
∆𝐿 = 2𝜆
(6)

Where g is gravitational acceleration, t is time, ∆𝐿is the increase in parison length and 𝜆 is the
elongational viscosity.
𝜆= 0.3 MPa.s (1 MPa.s = 1 M N.s/m2)
L=Parison Length= 17mm (0.017m)
Density is given as 800 kg/m3
g is taken as 9.8 m2/sec
t is approximately taken as 8 seconds
800 × 9.8 × 8 × 0.0172
∆𝐿 =
2 × (0.3 × 106 )

∆𝐿 = 3.021 × 10−5

Elongational viscosity can be effected by screw speed and melt temperature. Increase in screw
speed will result in higher shear rates and therefore results in lower elongational viscosity. The
increase in melt temperature also reduces the elongational viscosity which is the resistance of a
material to elongationally deform.

Question 5
HDPE bottles weight was measured for bottles prepared at different cooling time which resulted in the
change in thickness and as a result variation in the bottles weights were observed as shown in table 2.

7
 POLYMER PROCESSING DESIGN LAB

As the cooling time was increased, the weight of bottles was observed to be increased and the thickness of
bottles also enhanced.

Conclusion
Extrusion blow molding machine was used to produce HDPE bottles at 200oC processing temperature. The
pressure conditions were varied and the resulting change in the product was observed in terms of thickness
and weight of HDPE bottles. Elongational viscosity was reported as a function of screw speed, melt
temperature, and molecular weight of polymer as well. The shear rates are also reported to be proportional
with screw speed.

References
[1] EBM.Retrieved from https://delta-engineering.be/extrusion-blow-molding
[2] Blow moulding-process, application and troubleshooting. Retrieved
http://atozplastics.com/upload/literature/363_art_troubleshoot.asp
[3] Torque & Speed How Much Is Enough? 9/1/2002. Retrieved from
https://www.ptonline.com/articles/torque-speed-how-much-is-enough.
[4] Hung-Yu Lan and Hsieng-Cheng Tseng, J. Chin. Inst. Chem. Engrs. 34 (2003) 405-415
[5] B. H. BERSTED, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 24 (1979) 671-682
[6] A. V. Shenoy, D. R. Saini & V. M. Nadkarni, Intern. J. Polymeric Muter, 10 (1984) 213-235