Small Twin-Screw Extruders a Big Deal for Compounder's Customers

To support small-lot testing and sampling as well as pre-production needs, particularly among medical device OEMs, Peak Performance Compounding (Peak-PCI) has installed two advanced twin-screw extruders at its Leominster, MA, facility. The addition of this equipment enables Peak-PCI to provide small lots of compound batches, reducing waste and lowering cost associated with larger extruders, the company said.

Extruders tailored for small-volume compounding

The 22- and 32-mm extruders feature strand cut, underwater, and water-free pelletization along with pre- and post-drying functions, downstream feeding, and intricate pre- and post-blending and mixing. By investing in specialized equipment tailored for small-volume compounding, Peak-PCI said it can facilitate a customer’s seamless journey “from initial concept to full-scale production.” 

“The integration of these cutting-edge twin-screw extruders affirms our companywide dedication to no minimum order quantity,” said company President Todd Marchand. This initiative contrasts with other resin suppliers and compounders that are increasing minimum orders to maximize profitability, added Peak-PCI.

Supporting manufacturing trends

The trends in medical and industrial manufacturing toward more personalized and advanced technologies have increased the necessity for services such as small-volume compounding, according to Peak-PCI. This investment in new extrusion technologies provides a foundation for these industries to innovate without constraints, emphasizing product functionality over manufacturability, it added.