When a new extruder screen is placed into production, there is typically 40-250 psi present in the equipment. As production continues, the filtered contaminants begin to block the opening of extruder screen mesh, causing pressure to build up.
When it happens, the extruder screen must be replaced/changed.
The rate in which extruder screens are replaced depending largely on how clean the plastic melt is.
If the melt is origin with limited impurities, then the screens can last a long time without the need for replacement. On the other hand, the amount of impurities being filtered out of recycled melt requires you to replace the screens several times a day.
Regardless of how frequent your screens are changed, this process can be carried out with ease when using a continuous changer.
Manual operations cause the production line to shut completely before the filtration screens can be changed, which proves to be very time-consuming and expensive. If you are using a continuous hydraulic changer to replace your extruder screens, this process is virtually seamless.