Discover our cutting-edge PET and PLA Sheet Extrusion Lines, tailored for the modern packaging industry. These high-capacity lines, capable of producing up to 1500kg/h, are designed for superior quality and efficiency. With options like the Single Screw Extrusion Line with Crystallization and Dehumidifier, and the Twin Screw Line for streamlined production, our machines deliver exceptional PET sheets known for their transparency, durability, and versatility in applications ranging from cosmetics to food packaging. Trusted globally, these lines set new standards in plastic packaging production.
The PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) sheet extrusion production line is used to produce high-quality PET sheets. Due to their high transparency, excellent mechanical properties, and recyclability, these sheets are widely used in food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, and electronic product packaging. This article provides a detailed introduction to the production process, main equipment, technical features, application areas, common specifications, and market analysis of the PET sheet extrusion production line.
PET resin has a strong hygroscopic nature. Without adequate drying, it can lead to hydrolysis reactions during processing, affecting the mechanical properties and surface quality of the product. Therefore, PET raw materials must be thoroughly dried before processing. Typically, the raw material is dried at 160°C for 4–6 hours to reduce the moisture content to below 50 ppm. High-efficiency dehumidifying dryers are generally used to ensure the raw material reaches the required level of dryness, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent extrusion and plasticization process.
The dried PET raw material is fed into the extruder, which commonly comes in two types: single-screw and twin-screw extruders. The screw rotates at high speed within the barrel, utilizing shear and heating to melt and plasticize the PET material. The extruder adopts zoned temperature control, allowing the temperature of each zone to be precisely adjusted according to process requirements, ensuring uniform melting. Optimized screw design and precise temperature control not only improve plasticization efficiency but also reduce energy consumption and minimize thermal degradation of the material.
The molten PET passes through a filter (screen changer) to remove impurities and unmelted particles, protecting downstream equipment and improving product quality. Screen changers come in manual and automatic types; automatic screen changers can replace the filter screen without stopping the machine, enhancing production efficiency. Subsequently, the melt passes through a metering pump, which precisely controls the output to ensure uniform sheet thickness. The metering pump is made of high-precision alloy materials capable of withstanding high temperatures and pressures, ensuring the stability of the melt flow.
The molten PET is extruded through a T-die to form the initial sheet shape. The flow channel design of the die is optimized to ensure uniform distribution of the melt across the entire width, reducing stagnation and degradation phenomena. The die lip gap can be adjusted to precisely control the width and thickness of the sheet to meet different product specifications. The die is equipped with built-in heaters and temperature sensors to achieve uniform temperature distribution, ensuring the physical properties and appearance quality of the sheet.
The extruded sheet enters a three-roll calender, composed of an upper roll, middle roll, and lower roll, to undergo cooling and shaping. The upper roll controls the surface smoothness of the sheet, the middle roll adjusts the thickness and uniformity, and the lower roll further cools and transports the sheet. Cooling water circulates inside the rollers, rapidly reducing the sheet temperature and preventing deformation or internal stress due to excessive heat. The rollers are generally made of high-hardness mirror-finished material, with surfaces treated by chrome plating or special coatings to enhance wear resistance and service life.
After cooling and shaping, the sheet is steadily hauled by a haul-off unit, which controls speed and tension to prevent stretching and deformation during the process. The haul-off unit is driven by a frequency conversion motor or servo motor, combined with an advanced tension control system to precisely control operating speed and tension. Finally, the sheet is wound into rolls by a winder for easy storage and transportation. Winding methods include surface friction winding and center winding. The winder can be equipped with an automatic roll-changing function to improve production efficiency and reduce manual intervention.
The PET sheet extrusion production line consists of multiple pieces of equipment to ensure continuity, high efficiency, and stable product quality throughout the production process. The main equipment includes an automatic feeding system, extruder, screen changer, metering pump, T-die, three-roll calender, haul-off unit, and winder.
Automatic Feeding System: Enables automatic conveying, metering, and mixing of raw materials, mainly composed of a vacuum feeder and a metering device. The vacuum feeder transports dried raw materials to the extruder hopper, and the metering device precisely controls the proportions of raw materials and additives, reducing manual operations and improving production efficiency and formula accuracy.
Extruder: The core equipment of the production line; the design of the screw and barrel directly affects the plasticization and extrusion effect of the material. The screw adopts an optimized structural design, such as separation type and barrier type, to improve plasticization and mixing effects. The barrel is made of high-quality wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant alloy steel, ensuring the durability and stability of the equipment.
Screen Changer and Metering Pump: Ensure the purity of the melt and the stability of the flow rate. The screen changer can be operated manually or automatically; an automatic screen changer can replace the filter screen without stopping the machine, avoiding production interruptions. The metering pump uses a precision gear structure to precisely control the output of the melt, stabilize melt pressure, and improve product quality consistency.
T-Die: Determines the width and thickness of the sheet. Its internal flow channel design is reasonable, adopting a coat-hanger structure to ensure uniform distribution of the melt and reduce dead zones. The die lip gap can be adjusted manually or automatically, and the temperature control is precise, ensuring product dimensional accuracy and surface quality.
Three-Roll Calender: Cools and shapes the sheet. The arrangement of the rollers (such as I-type, L-type, inverted L-type) and surface treatments (such as mirror finish, matte finish) can be adjusted according to product requirements. Hydraulic or pneumatic systems precisely control roller pressure and gap, ensuring uniform sheet thickness and surface smoothness.
Haul-Off Unit and Winder: Responsible for hauling and winding the sheet, using advanced drive and control systems such as servo motors and PLC control to ensure stability and consistency during the process. The winder can be equipped with automatic tension control and edge positioning devices to ensure winding quality.
The PET sheet extrusion production line has the following technical features:
High Efficiency: Optimized screw design and flow channel structure improve plasticization efficiency, reducing energy consumption and thermal degradation of the material. The overall design of the production line is reasonable, and the equipment operates stably, capable of high-speed, high-output production. The maximum output can reach 1,500 kg per hour, meeting the needs of large-scale production.
Energy Saving and Environmental Protection: By adopting energy-saving motors and frequency conversion control technology, energy consumption is reduced. PET material is 100% recyclable, meeting environmental protection and sustainable development requirements. Waste generation during production is minimized, and an edge trim recycling system is equipped to reuse waste materials, reducing production costs.
Intelligent Control: The production line is equipped with advanced PLC control systems and Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI), realizing centralized management and monitoring of the entire production process. Parameter settings, operating status, and alarm information are clear at a glance. Remote monitoring and diagnostic functions allow for remote maintenance and troubleshooting, improving equipment availability and maintenance efficiency.
Multi-Functionality: The production line can produce single-layer and multi-layer co-extruded sheets (such as A/B, A/B/A structures) to meet the needs of different customers and markets. By changing the die, adjusting process parameters, and adding functional additives, sheets with special properties can be produced, such as anti-static, barrier properties, and high-temperature resistance.
Due to its excellent physical and chemical properties, PET sheet is widely used in the following areas:
Food Packaging: Used to produce thermoformed trays, food containers, beverage cups, lids, etc., with good transparency and barrier properties to ensure food safety and freshness.
Pharmaceutical Packaging: Used to make medicine trays and medical device packaging, providing sterile and contamination-free packaging environments that meet the high standards of the pharmaceutical industry.
Electronic Product Packaging: Made into anti-static sheets to protect electronic components from static damage, meeting the special packaging needs of electronic products such as integrated circuits, chips, and precision instruments.
Other Areas: Such as advertising display boards, architectural decorative materials, automotive interior parts, utilizing the impact resistance, weather resistance, and processability of PET sheets to meet diverse application needs.
The specifications of PET sheets can be customized according to different applications and needs. Common specifications are as follows:
Sheet Thickness: Generally ranges from 0.15 mm to 2.0 mm.
0.15 mm – 0.5 mm: Used for disposable packaging, ultra-thin sheets, transparent films, etc.
0.5 mm – 1.2 mm: Used for general food containers, trays, thermoformed packaging, etc.
1.2 mm – 2.0 mm: Used for industrial packaging, building materials, advertising boards, etc.
Sheet Width: Ranges from 600 mm to 1500 mm. Common specifications include 600 mm, 800 mm, 1000 mm, 1200 mm, 1500 mm, which can be selected according to equipment configuration and product requirements.
Extruder Specifications:
Screw Diameter:
Single-Screw: Φ90 mm, Φ105 mm, Φ120 mm, Φ150 mm, Φ180 mm
Twin-Screw: Φ65 mm, Φ75 mm, Φ95 mm, Φ110 mm
Length-to-Diameter Ratio (L/D): Generally from 30:1 to 36:1; a larger L/D ratio results in better plasticization.
Production Capacity (Output): Ranges from 200 kg/h to 1,500 kg/h. Common specifications include 200 kg/h, 300 kg/h, 500 kg/h, 800 kg/h, 1000 kg/h, 1,500 kg/h, allowing you to choose the appropriate output based on production needs and market scale.
Line Speed: Generally between 10 m/min and 30 m/min. High-speed production lines can reach 50 m/min, which needs to be adjusted in conjunction with sheet thickness and cooling capacity.
The rapid development of the global packaging industry, especially in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, has led to continuous growth in demand for high-quality packaging materials, driving the expansion of the PET sheet market. According to market research reports, the global PET sheet market is expected to maintain steady growth in the coming years, with an estimated annual compound growth rate of over 5%.
Enhanced Environmental Awareness: The global demand for recyclable and sustainable materials is increasing, and PET's recyclability and environmental friendliness make it highly favored.
Consumption Upgrade: People's requirements for packaging quality and safety have increased, driving the demand for high-performance PET sheets.
Technological Progress: Continuous improvements in extrusion equipment and processes have enhanced production efficiency and product quality, reduced production costs, and expanded market applications.
Raw Material Price Fluctuations: PET resin prices are affected by the oil market, which may lead to instability in production costs.
Competitive Pressure: The development of alternative materials (such as PLA and biodegradable plastics) and new packaging technologies poses challenges to the PET sheet market.
Regulatory Restrictions: Increasingly strict regulations on plastic products in various countries require enterprises to adapt to environmental regulations and standards, potentially increasing compliance costs.
Circular Economy: Promoting the recycling and reuse of PET sheets, developing closed-loop supply chains, and reducing resource waste.
Functional Sheets: Developing sheets with special functions such as barrier properties, antibacterial properties, and anti-static features to meet high-end market demands.
Smart Manufacturing: Introducing Industry 4.0 technologies to achieve digitalization and intelligent control of production lines, improving production efficiency and management levels.
Emerging Market Expansion: Expanding applications in new fields such as electronics, automotive, and construction to find new growth opportunities.
Policy Support: Many countries encourage the development of renewable resources and environmentally friendly materials, providing policy support for the PET sheet industry.
Consumer Trends: Consumer demand for environmentally friendly packaging and high-quality products offers new market opportunities for enterprises.
Technological Collaboration: Collaborating with research institutions and universities for technological innovation and product development to enhance enterprise competitiveness.
When selecting equipment for a PET sheet extrusion production line, the following factors should be comprehensively considered:
Product Positioning: Determine product specifications, performance, and quality requirements based on target markets and customer needs.
Production Capacity: Choose appropriate equipment specifications and capacity based on output needs and market forecasts to avoid over-investment or insufficient capacity.
Technical Level: Consider the technological advancement, automation degree, and scalability of the equipment to meet future development needs.
Investment Budget: Evaluate equipment costs, operating costs, and return on investment comprehensively to choose a cost-effective solution.
After-Sales Service: Select equipment suppliers with a good reputation and reliable after-sales service to ensure equipment stability and timely maintenance.
The PET sheet extrusion production line holds an important position in the modern packaging industry. Its characteristics of high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and intelligence meet the market's demand for high-quality and diverse packaging materials. Facing market opportunities and challenges, enterprises should keep pace with industry development trends, focus on technological innovation and product quality, enhance core competitiveness, and achieve sustainable development.
For further information or professional technical support, it is recommended to contact experienced equipment manufacturers or technical engineers. They can provide customized solutions based on your specific needs to assist in the development of your business.
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