Plastics production comprises the main process steps ""synthesis (reaction)"", ""preparation/compounding"" at the raw material manufacturer and compounder, and ""processing"" (shaping into semi-finished or finished products). In this handbook, the central middle step, preparation and compounding, is discussed. The preparation tasks include the removal of components, the incorporation of additives, and the change of particle size. Compounding is the incorporation of additives into a polymer or plastic. The process engineering fundamentals and the specific equipment and machines used are described. The specialist authors impart their knowledge from the fields of research, polymer production, and equipment/machine production with applications in plastics technology.

Co-rotating twin-screw extruders are extensively used for the preparation, compounding, mixing, and processing of plastics, but also in other industry branches, such as in rubber and food processing, and increasingly in the pharmaceutical industry too. Derived from the classic bestselling work Co-Rotating Twin Screw Extruders, this book focuses on the application and machine technology of co-rotating twin-screw extrusion. It includes functional zones in the extruder, scale-up and scale-down, machine technology, and many application examples from a broad range of areas. Co-rotating twin-screw machines usually have modular configurations and are thus quite flexible for adapting to changing tasks and material properties. Well-founded knowledge of machines, processes, and material behavior is required in order to design and operate twin-screw extruders for economically successful operations. With chapters written by many expert authors from industry and academia, this book provides valuable information on applications from a practical perspective, suitable for both beginners and experienced professional engineers.