Design and Ductile Behavior of Torsion Configurations in Material Extrusion to Enhance Plasticizing and Melting

In the present work, the ductile formation mechanism of a newly proposed torsion configuration has been investigated. One of the unique attributes of this paper is the first-time disclosure of the design and fabrication of a novel prototype screw with torsional flow character validating the orthogonal test model experimentally. The torsional spiral flow patterns that occurred in the torsion channel cause a ductile deformation of polymer in the form of a spiral, which in turn enhances the radial convection, achieving an effective mass transfer of material from the top region to the bottom region and vice versa. Furthermore, the characteristic parameters of torsion configuration have a significant influence on the plasticizing and melting capability of polymer. By range analysis and weight matrix analysis, the best factor and level combination was obtained. Results indicated that the aspect ratio of the torsion channel is almost equal to 1, and the plasticizing and melting capability of polymer is optimal. This novel design innovation offers a paradigm shift in the energy-efficient plasticization of polymer compounds.