Date: March 11, 2026
Source: Plastics Machinery Industry Network / Special Interview
Today, as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are increasingly used in applications ranging from automotive seals to medical devices, soft baby products to high-strength industrial components, the birth of each high-quality TPE granule is inextricably linked to the precise operation of the “backbone of industry.”
Qingdao Xinrui Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Qingdao Xinrui"), one of the leaders in the field of polymer extrusion equipment in China, through its deep understanding of technological processes and continuous upgrading, offers the market TPE twin-screw compounding extrusion line. This line provides compounders around the world with a complete solution from powder to gold granule. Today we will follow the birth path of the TPE granule and reveal the seven key technological steps behind Qingdao Xinrui equipment.
The secret to TPE's characteristics lies in its complex formulations. To work with oil-filled SEBS, highly filled compositions and other scenarios, the head of the Qingdao Xinrui line is equipped with multi-component gravimetric dispensers from the world's leading brands. Thanks to intelligent coordination via PLC, the main components, returnable waste and micro-additives of functional substances are supplied synchronously with an accuracy of 0.01%. This guarantees flawless accuracy in every batch from the very beginning. For raw materials with high oil absorption, Qingdao Xinrui offers high-speed mixers to ensure pre-impregnation and swelling of the material, which creates a solid basis for subsequent compounding.
Once the material enters the cylinder, the real test begins. Qingdao Xinrui TPE extrusion line is equipped with high-efficiency permanent magnet synchronous motor and heavy-duty gearbox manufactured using German technology, which provides truly high torque. Even when processing ultra-soft TPE grades with high oil content or high-viscosity TPV, the line operates stably at low speeds with high torque, eliminating the risk of auger blockage. Combined with a precision dual-circuit (oil/water) thermal control system, the cylinder quickly heats the material to its melting point, providing an efficient and energy-saving solid-to-liquid transition.
The ability to perfectly combine oil, fillers and polymer base is a key test for an extruder. Screw elements from Qingdao Xinrui, made according to advanced spline technology made of wear-resistant alloys, generate intense shear forces in the mixing zone thanks to the modular design. This balanced shear action allows inorganic fillers to be dispersed to the nanoscale while avoiding the degradation of the rubber phase that can occur with excess shear. This completely solves the problems of “white spots” and oil migration in finished products, providing TPE materials with not only excellent tactile properties, but also stable mechanical characteristics.
In the production of TPE granules, even microscopic bubbles can lead to defective injection molded parts in the next step. In the middle part of the Qingdao Xinrui Line is installed multi-stage vacuum degassing system. Forced suction under negative pressure completely removes residual moisture, low molecular weight volatile components and unreacted monomers from the raw material, providing a high melt density. This makes it possible to completely eliminate internal porosity of granules and surface defects, which is especially important in the production of medical and transparent TPE grades that require high purity.
Before entering the granulation zone, the high-temperature melt must pass through Qingdao Xinrui self-developed hydraulic mesh changing filters (plate or cylindrical type). The system is equipped with high-mesh filter meshes (up to 150 mesh or more), which effectively capture impurities and gels from the formulation. The design allows the mesh to be changed without stopping the process, ensuring continuity of production. In combination with the stabilizing pressure of the melt pump, this guarantees a constant, stable and clean melt flow for subsequent granulation.
To solve the industry problem of sticking of soft TPE grades with low hardness, Qingdao Xinrui offers as standard highly efficient underwater granulation system.
Instant cutting: At the moment the melt exits the thermostated die with special heat treatment, it is instantly cut off by a rotating knife that fits tightly to the surface of the die.
Fast cooling: The cut granules are immediately carried away by the flow of circulating warm water and quickly harden in the pipeline.
Perfect look: The output is spherical granules with a smooth surface, without tails, round and full. This granule shape ensures excellent flowability and excellent performance on downstream automatic injection molding machines, significantly increasing the marketability of the product.
For materials with high hardness or special requirements, Qingdao Xinrui also provides optimized water ring and strand granulation solutions.
The granules that have just left the underwater granulation system are mixed with a large amount of water. Passing through High efficiency centrifugal dryer and vibrating fluid bed dryer from Qingdao Xinrui, the granules are freed from the bulk of water, and then, using hot air, they are finally dried from the surface and cooled to room temperature, which completely prevents them from caking during storage.
At the finish line, clean granules pass through a vibrating sieve to filter out substandard particles and enter an automatic weighing and packaging system. The entire line is integrated with industrial internet control system (industrial IoT). The operator simply recalls a saved recipe on the touch screen to start or stop the process with a single button and control all interconnected components of the line, which ensures reproducible and consistent results from batch to batch.
From precise dosing of components to the perfect appearance of the finished granules, the TPE Twin Screw Compounding Extrusion Line from Qingdao Xinrui Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. is not just a set of equipment, but a production solution that deeply integrates technological expertise and intelligent control.
In an era of increasing demand for high-quality and customized elastomer materials, Qingdao Xinrui, backed by its reliable manufacturing base and ability for continuous innovation, helps compounders around the world turn every formulation innovation into market-competitive granules of the highest quality.
For more information, please contact:
Qingdao Xinrui Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd.
WhatsApp：86 15553232608
WeChat：15553232608
No.889, West Beijing Street, Jiaozhou, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
