Thermo Scientific™ Process 16 Parallel Twin-Screw Extruder - FAQs

An extruder needs free volume to be able to take in material for processing. A high-free-volume screw design is designed to maximize material intake, allowing researchers to process challenging materials such as fibers, flakes, recycled plastics, and lightweight fillers that may be difficult to feed in high-torque laboratory extruders

Successfully incorporating low-density fillers requires consistent feeding without material bridging or flooding. A side feeder allows these materials to be introduced downstream of the main feed, can help improve feeding stability and reduce premature compression. The Thermo Scientific Process 16 Twin-Screw Extruder offers four interchangeable side-feeding positions and supports up to two simultaneous side feeders, giving researchers the flexibility to optimize filler addition for different formulations while maintaining easy access to the extruder during operation.

The split barrel design with a removable top section provides easy access to product-contact areas for inspection and cleaning. Easily removable product-contact parts also help support efficient product changeovers during development work.

The Thermo Scientific Process 16 platform supports numerous accessories, including feeders, dies, water baths, conveyor systems, haul-off units, strand and die-face pelletizers, filament spoolers, and granulation kits. These accessories help configure the system for different processing applications.

The fully ported barrel provides multiple feed and vent locations, enabling flexible placement of feeders and degassing ports for a wide range of processing workflows. It supports up to five feeders (three top feeders and two side feeders) to accommodate solids such as powders, pellets, and fibers, as well as liquids. This flexible feeder configuration helps optimize material introduction for different formulations and process requirements.

Yes. An optional screw length adjustment kit allows shorter processing lengths, can help reduce material consumption during formulation development when sample availability is limited.

The segmented screw design allows users to configure conveying, mixing, kneading, and other processing elements to match specific formulation and process requirements. This flexibility supports method development and optimization for a wide range of materials

Choose the extruder based on your application and regulatory requirements. Select the Thermo Scientific Process 16 Twin-Screw Extruder for polymer compounding, plastics recycling, reactive extrusion, battery materials, composites, and specialty chemicals. For processing battery materials inside a glovebox consider a Thermo Scientific Energy 16 Twin-Screw Extruder. Choose the Thermo Scientific Process 16 Hygienic Twin-Screw Extruder for food, alternative proteins, nutraceuticals, and other hygienic processing applications. Choose the Thermo Scientific Pharma 16 Twin-Screw Extruder for pharmaceutical formulation development, including hot-melt extrusion (HME), twin-screw granulation (TSG), and continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The Thermo Scientific Process 16 Hygienic Twin-Screw Extruder supports food research, formulation, and pilot-scale process development across a wide range of applications, including these:

• Production of plant-based foods, such as meat analogues, vegan cheese, high-moisture meat analogues (HMMA), and texturized vegetable proteins (TVP).
• Food formulation, including encapsulation of bioactive ingredients, ingredient optimization, and recipe development.
• Ingredient extraction and process intensification, including continuous extraction of compounds such as pectin from agricultural side streams.
• Development of biopolymers and sustainable packaging, including biodegradable food films and novel packaging materials.
• Process optimization and scale-up, enabling evaluation of extrusion parameters, product quality, and transfer from laboratory to continuous pilot-scale production.

The Thermo Scientific Process 16 Hygienic Twin-Screw Extruder supports food research by providing a flexible platform for formulation development, process optimization, continuous processing, and scale-up.

Researchers can use it in various ways:

• Develop food formulations, including plant-based foods, functional ingredients, encapsulated compounds, and biodegradable food packaging materials.
• Investigate how temperature, shear, moisture, screw configuration, and die design influence texture, structure, expansion, extraction, and ingredient functionality.
• Scale laboratory-developed processes to continuous manufacturing while evaluating process consistency and commercial feasibility.

The Thermo Scientific Process 16 Twin-Screw Extruder is designed to support both mechanical and chemical plastics recycling research, from laboratory-scale process development through pilot-scale validation.

For mechanical recycling, researchers can use the system to improve recycled material quality through compounding and additive optimization, evaluate the effects of shear, temperature, residence time, and polymer degradation, and develop scalable recycling processes.

For chemical recycling, the Process 16 extruder supports evaluation of feedstocks, catalysts, depolymerization processes, reaction conditions, inline process monitoring, and continuous processing to help optimize process development and scale-up.

Its modular configuration and scalable process design can help researchers to evaluate formulations, refine process conditions, and generate data that can support transfer to larger production-scale twin-screw extrusion systems.

The Thermo Scientific Process 16 Twin-Screw Extruder is designed for research and development, process development, and small-batch production. It supports applications including polymer compounding, masterbatch production, nanocomposites, hot-melt extrusion, food processing, cosmetics, adhesives, and material development across multiple industries.