DIE PLATE WITH DIE PLATE BODY HAVING AN APERTURED DOWNSTREAM FACE COVERED BY A SOLID FACE PLATE

A die plate is provided for an underwater pelletizer. The die plate includes a die plate body and a solid face plate. The downstream face of the die plate body has a plurality of insulation holes drilled therein that reduce the surface area contact between the die plate body and the solid face plate that is secured to the downstream face of the die plate body to form the cutting surface. In addition, a circular groove is preferably milled into the downstream face of the die plate body. The groove is concentric with the outer perimeter of the die plate body and creates an outer ring and a center boss. The outer downstream surface of the boss is flush with the outer downstream surface of the outer ring so that the boss and ring together form the downstream face of the die plate body for supporting the solid face plate. The insulation holes and groove are filled with a non-reactive atmosphere such as nitrogen, inert gas(es), a vacuum or a partial vacuum.