Result description
An advanced extrusion system uniquely heated by a combination of microwave energy and the susceptor effect, designed to optimize thermal management during extrusion. The system features a microwave-transparent extrusion barrel housing a screw conveyor, allowing direct microwave radiation to heat the polymer material inside. Complementing this, an auxiliary indirect heating mechanism employs movable susceptors, actuated by linear servomotors, which can be positioned around the barrel to transfer heat through direct contact when additional or more uniform preheating is required. This dual heating approach enables precise, rapid, and energy-efficient temperature control tailored to the material’s electromagnetic absorption properties, resulting in improved processing stability, reduced thermal degradation, and enhanced product quality.
Addressing target audiences and expressing needs
- Use of research Infrastructure
- Collaboration
- Other type of Investment
We are targeting research and technology organizations (RTOs), academic institutions specializing in polymer processing and microwave applications, and private investors focused on advanced manufacturing technologies. Our precise needs include:
- Access to pilot-scale extrusion facilities equipped for microwave integration to validate and optimize the system under industrial conditions.
- Collaborations with material scientists and process engineers to tailor heating protocols for diverse polymers with varying microwave absorption characteristics.
- Research and Technology Organisations
- Academia/ Universities
- Private Investors
R&D, Technology and Innovation aspects
Our extrusion system heated by microwaves combined with the susceptor effect has reached Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6), having been validated in a controlled, relevant industrial environment with lab-scale prototypes demonstrating consistent heating performance and material quality improvements. Key functionalities have been proven effective on representative extrusion setups.
The microwave-heated extrusion system with susceptor-assisted preheating has been engineered for high replicability and scalability. Its modular design, using standardized components such as microwave generators, electromagnetic-transparent barrels, and servo-actuated susceptors, ensures that the system can be manufactured and installed consistently across diverse industrial settings. The control algorithms for microwave power modulation and susceptor positioning are fully programmable and transferable, guaranteeing uniform performance and product quality regardless of location or production scale. This reliability allows us to serve multiple markets, from automotive to packaging plastics, delivering the exact same energy-efficient, high-quality extrusion process every time.
Result submitted to Horizon Results Platform by IDENER RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT AGRUPACION DE INTERES ECONOMICO
