VERFAHREN ZUM PLASTIFIZIEREN UND DOSIEREN VON THERMOPLASTISCHEM MATERIAL UND VORRICHTUNG ZUR DURCHFUEHRUNG DES VERFAHRENS

A plasticating extruder screw is provided with a wave section in which the depth of the material conveying channel varies cyclically over a plurality of cycles. The wave section as a whole provides good pumping performance for metering the extrudate at a uniform rate. The deep valley portions of the wave section minimize heat inputs to the material being fed, and the shallow ridge portions of the wave section assure repeated intensive mixing of the material for providing high quality polymer melts. The minimum channel depth portions are in a balanced relationship about the axis of the screw to avoid lateral thrust problems. Such balance may be achieved in successive cycles of a single channel or as between adjacent channels of a multiple channel screw. The wave may be in the metering section of a single stage screw or in any of the pumping sections of a multiple stage screw.