Product Info
Wexco Barrels are the best-performing plasticating barrels in the industry. Wexco offers fast delivery at the lowest cost. WEXCO's time-tested process employed in making bimetallic cylinders results in excellent cylinder performance and long service life in your extruder or injection press.
WEXCO employs sophisticated centrifugal-casting processes to manufacture its high-performance bimetallic cylinders.
The term Bi-metallic indicates the fusion of two different metals in a high-temperature furnace that subjects the two metals to temperatures of more than 2000oF (>1100oC).
High revolution spinning of the white-hot cylinder fuses the inlay alloy to the bore wall.Subsequent carefully controlled cooling creates a super-hard, highly uniform lining in the cylinder bore that is further subjected to ultra-precise honing processes. The finished bore lining is at least .050" [1.27 mm] thick. Double and triple lining thicknesses are available for specific applications.
WEXCO offers several cylinder-lining alloys designed to meet your specific processing requirements. The listing below provides a general overview of the various WEXCO inlay alloys and their unique features.We will gladly assist you in selecting the most appropriate WEXCO inlay alloy for your processing application. Please contact our Sales Staff. (1-800-327-9310)
WEXCO bore-lining alloys for spun-cast high-performance bimetallic cylinders:
WEXCO 555 Alloy
WEXCO 555 is recommended for use where severe corrosive conditions are encountered. It is a cobalt-nickel base alloy with high chromium and boron content for excellent corrosion resistance against hydrochloric and other acids. It has a dual-phase microstructure with complex borides that provide excellent wear resistance: over 10 times the service life of nitrided barrels in severely corrosive atmospheres. It has a typical hardness range of Rockwell C 50-55.
WEXCO 666 Alloy
WEXCO 666 is recommended for applications that process abrasive materials. It is a nickel-boron base iron with a high hardness, martensitic structure in cementite matrix. It has excellent abrasion resistance and a low friction coefficient (0.0) for prevention of screw galling. It provides a service life of at least four times that of nitrided barrels, and a hardness range of Rockwell C 60-65.
WEXCO 777 Alloy
WEXCO 777 is recommended for use where extremely abrasive and moderately corrosive conditions are encountered. It is a high tungsten-carbide content alloy with a matrix of a chromium-boron-nickel alloy. Tungsten carbide provides the primary wear resistance with the high chromium boride-content matrix alloy providing additional wear and corrosion resistance.
WEXCO 777 has a macro hardness of Rockwell C 62-68; however, over 80% volume of this alloy is occupied by tungsten carbides and chromium borides which show a micro hardness of over DPH 4000 (over Rc 70). It is one of the highest wear-and corrosion-resistant alloy available for bimetallic cylinders. We also recommend WEXCO 777 barrels for use in custom processing shops where the same machine is used to process several different kinds of resin material.
WEXCO BO-22 Alloy
WEXCO BO-22 is ideal for the processing of Fluoropolymers and Polyvinyl Chloride resins under severely corrosive conditions. It is a nickel rich boron base alloy which contains 12% molybdenum, and a matrix rich in complex borides and carbides. These elements cause it to maintain its high temperature hardness. It has a typical hardness of Rockwell C 50 or above (at 70 F).
WEXCO BO-22 bimetallic cylinders are subjected to a HIP process (Hot Isostatic Pressing) that essentially prevents any porosity in the bore lining. Molybdenum and its alloying elements are far superior in corrosion resistance against halogen containing elements. This reduces acid attack when compared with conventional nickel-cobalt base alloy, e.g., WEXCO 555 or "equivalent" liners produced by competing manufacturers.
WEXCO Durocas Alloy (with 5-Year Wear Warranty!)
WEXCO Durocas lining material for bimetallic cylinders offers a high degree of wear and corrosion resistance. It is recommended for the toughest and most demanding injection and extrusion processes.
Durocas is a spherical tungsten-carbide combined with a chromium- boron-nickel matrix. The spherical tungsten carbide provides outstanding primary wear resistance allowing for a micro hardness of over DPH 4000 (too hard for Rockwell C scale measurement.)
The chromium boride, along with the high chrome content, further enhances wear and corrosion resistance. The high density of spherical carbides makes this WEXCO lining material the best choice for longest-lasting performance.
WEXCO Durocas lined bimetallic cylinders are warranted against excessive wear: For a period of 5 years from date sold, WEXCO guarantees that Durocas cylinders will not wear more than .010[0.25 mm] (total) on the bore diameter. Please contact WEXCO for details on our exclusive 5-year limited warranty offer. Click here for more information on Durocas.
WEXCO High-Performance Cylinders with one-pieceTool Steel Liners
WEXCO non-spun bimetallic tool steel cylinders consist of a special cylinder steel and a unique one-piece (i.e. non-segmented) tool steel liner.High-performance one-piece Tool Steel Cylinders only from WEXCO!
Are plasticating barrels an industrial commodity?
Hardly! As there are no specific industry-standards for barrel and screw configurations, each machine builder develops barrel configurations that suit his particular needs for fitting the barrel to his extruder or injection molding machine.
There are thousands of different barrel designs in use today; many of them have spawned further modifications at the user level to suit the needs of particular processing applications.
Keeping track of all these different designs, and providing the buyer withexactly what he/she wants is a daunting task for the barrel manufacturer that requires an extensive technical drawing library and dedicated, knowledgeable staff to research the information on behalf of the buyer.
WEXCO has built up an extensive technical library in 29 years ofmanufacturing nothing but plasticating barrels, and we have the knowledgeable sales staff to expertly serve our customers.
Considerations for Barrel straightness:
One of the most important aspects of a high-quality and high-performance barrel is straightness. Nothing affects barrel and screw wear as much as straightness, or the lack thereof.
For example, to make a long and straight plasticating barrel is not an easy undertaking for any manufacturer. Starting with different interpretations by barrel makers of the requirement for straightness, some will abide by the straightness standards set by the Society for Plastics Industry.
WEXCO, in contrast, adheres to much tighter WEXCO straightness tolerances to ensure a perfect fit of the screw in the barrel bore. Perfect fit equals long service life, which equals excellent return on investment and makes for a happy customer.
Why select a WEXCO high-performance barrel?
You cannot add better performance or wear characteristics once the barrel is mounted to your machine! You cannot straighten a crooked barrel, and you cannot readily change a bore inlay incorrectly specified for your specific processing application.
To get good performance and long service life from a screw and barrel, you need to do your homework up front!
Involve the barrel maker in your selection and decision process on the purchase of a barrel, whether as a replacement for a worn-out barrel or as part of a new extruder or injection press.
There is little you can do personally to kick the tires when it comes to choosing a barrel brand or type. Just like all tires look the same (they are round) but do not perform the same, plasticating barrels will vary greatly in performance characteristics and in the cost/benefit ratio for the user.
A high-performance barrel may cost a few more dollars initially, but the money you save by not having to replace the barrel as often (consider the time and money spent on frequent barrel replacements) and by getting much higher production yields, far outweighs any higher upfront costs.
As a processor fighting cheap foreign competition, you already know what counts in YOUR business: Performance! Performance is a combination of product quality, manufacturing efficiency, and good customer service!
Surely, you will not get good product quality and good processing efficiency using a low-performance plasticating barrel! Are you really willing to gamble with your company's performance in a highly competitive global market?
The selection of the proper inlay (bore lining material) is often the most confusing aspect for the buyer when ordering a replacement barrel.
WEXCO alone offers six choices of bore protection: there are corrosion or abrasion resistant types, and those that combine both features. Then there are tool steel liners, as well as tungsten-carbide inlays with non-prorated 5-year wear warranty. Still other inlays offer protection against severely corrosive resins. Many machine builders offer nitrided barrels with their standard press or extruder to keep the overall cost down.
Considerations for selecting the best barrel bore protection for your application:
While several barrel makers (including Wexco) offer selection charts on theirthe buyer is well advised to pick up the telephone and talk to the barrel maker about his specific processing applications.
With considerable price differences among the various inlays, a knowledgeable sales person will not only assist the customer with the inlay selection but will also advise on cost /benefit ratios for the various inlay types suitable for the customers specific processing applications.
Often the customer can choose between a higher upfront cost for a particular type barrel and longer service life, or lower upfront cost with shorter service life. Dont expect to get something for nothing! Finding the right combination that benefits the customer most is the true skill of a technically trained, professional salesperson.
Nitrided vs. Bimetallic Barrels:
If straightness of the barrel tube is a prerequisite for good performance and long wear life, the selection of the bore lining material is equally as important. Clearly, the bore of an unprotected plain steel barrel will deteriorate quickly when the processor molds abrasive or corrosive plastic resins.
Nitriding the barrel is a common and cost-effective treatment of the barrel bore if the resin to be processed is only mildly abrasive and not corrosive. Not knowing the types of resins a processor may run, many machine builders select nitrided barrels as their standard for their new off-the-shelf equipment, only to exchange this type with a higher-priced bimetallic barrel for superior wear and output performance when the customer demands it or the processing application requires it.
However, high-performance barrels with superior output and long service life require more than a thin nitrided bore surface. The potential for contact between the rotating screw and the barrel bore and the effect of heat, abrasion, and possibly corrosion, make it necessary that the barrel bore is well protected. Bimetallic barrels feature a super-hard or anticorrosive protective layer in the bore that is applied there through a complex process involving high heat and centrifugal forces.
Only a handful of companies in the world have developed the skills and the capabilities to manufacture spun-cast bimetallic plasticating barrels. Among those, Wexco is one of the few that can perform all critical manufacturing processes in-house for improved quality control, including deep-hole boring, spin-casting of the bore lining materials, barrel straightening, and bore honing.
Considerations for processors on barrel maintenance and regular services:
To prolong the service life of your barrel, make sure that you are processing only those resins for which the barrel is designed. For example, if you decide to process corrosive resins in a nitrided or tool-steel lined barrel, you are asking for trouble! Your nitrided or tool-steel lined barrel will not last very long, and output performance will be affected very quickly!
Periodically, and at the first sign of performance deterioration, check for visible wear signs in the barrel bore, such as discolorations of the bore surface or better yet: using a bore gauge, measure the bore at different locations to find wear spots. Obviously, you will need to remove the screw to check the barrel bore.
While you have the screw out off the barrel, check the plasticating screw for straightness and for wear (check O.D.). Typically, a screw will wear much faster than a barrel. You may need to replace the screw three times for each time you will need to replace the barrel, especially a high-quality, high-performanceWEXCO bimetallic barrel.
Why not "bargain basement"-priced plasticating barrels?
Consider this: Plasticating barrels are pressure vessels requiring barrel makers to employ appropriate engineering and manufacturing skills, from the selection of high-grade steel bars as acking material employing certified welders and highly skilled machinists, to maintaining immaculate records on every barrel shipped. Making a pressure vessel such as a plasticating barrel is serious business!
Once you have a plasticating barrel mounted to your machine, there is little you can do to improve upon the performance of your new barrel. You cannot straighten a crooked barrel and you cannot readily change an incorrectly specified bore inlay.
Assuming that you have purchased a high-performance barrel manufactured by a reputable, experienced barrel maker, and you have it properly installed on your machine, you will, nevertheless, be faced with this fact of barrel life: The performance of your plasticating barrel and the screw will deteriorate with use and with time! However, choosing a "bargain-basement"-priced barrel or screw will virtually assure a short service life of the two most critical machine components that affect output performance.
What about repairing or re-sleeving worn barrels?
Depending on the severity of the wear or damage in the barrel bore, it may be cost-effective to have the barrel repaired or re-sleeved (i.e. removing the worn bore section and inserting a sleeve featuring the same protective bore lining material as the original barrel).
As re-sleeving will be considered primarily for injection molding barrels with their inherent high pressure operating conditions, the user is well advised to have this work done by qualified shops specializing in plasticating barrel repair.
Such reputable repair shops for plasticating barrels will advise the customer about the pros and cons of repairing or re-sleeving his damaged or worn barrel versus buying a new one.
Other Related Barrel products and services:
Wexco 555 barrels
Wexco 555 inlay
wexco 555 liners
Wexco 666 barrels
Wexco 666 inlay
wexco 666 liners
wexco 777 barrels
Wexco 777 inlay
wexco 777 liners
Wexco Abrasion resistant barrels
Wexco Abrasion resistant cylinders
Wexco Abrasion-resistant barrels
Wexco Abrasion-resistant cylinders
Wexco Barrel blanks
Wexco Barrel inlays
Wexco Barrel liners
Wexco Barrel relining
Wexco Barrel resleeving
Wexco barrels
Wexco Bell-end cylinders
wexco bimetal barrels
wexco bi-metal barrels
wexco bimetal cylinders
wexco bi-metal cylinders
Wexco Bimetallic barrel blanks
Wexco Bimetallic barrel liners
Wexco Bimetallic barrels
Wexco Bi-metallic barrels,
Wexco Bimetallic cylinder blanks
Wexco Bimetallic cylinder liners
Wexco Bimetallic cylinders
Wexco Bi-metallic cylinders,
Wexco Bimetallic extruder barrels
Wexco Bimetallic extruder cylinders
Wexco Bimetallic extrusion barrels
Wexco Bimetallic extrusion cylinders
Wexco Bimetallic injection barrels
Wexco Bimetallic injection cylinders
Wexco Bimetallic twin barrels
Wexco Bimetallic twin-screw barrel liners
Wexco Bimetallic twin-screw barrels
Wexco Bimetallic twin-screw cylinder
Wexco Bimetallic twin-screw cylinders
wexco bo-22
wexco bo-22 barrels
wexco bo-22 inlay
wexco bo-22 liners
Wexco Bore liners
Wexco Bore lining
Wexco Bore relining
Wexco Bore sleeving
Wexco Carbide inlay
Wexco Centrifugally-cast barrels
Wexco Centrifugally-cast cylinders
Wexco Co-Extrusion cylinders
Wexco Co-rotating twin-screw barrels
Wexco Co-rotating twin-screw cylinders
Wexco Corrosion resistant barrels
Wexco Corrosion resistant cylinders
Wexco Corrosion resistant inlay
Wexco Counter-rotating twin-screw barrels
Wexco Counter-rotating twin-screw cylinders
Wexco Cylinder blanks
Wexco Cylinder liners
Wexco Cylinder relining
Wexco Cylinder resleeving
Wexco cylinders
Wexco Duro cast barrels
Wexco Durocast inlay
wexco durocast liners
Wexco Durocastª cylinders
Wexco Extruder barrels
Wexco Extruder cylinders
Wexco Extrusion barrels
Wexco Extrusion cylinders
Wexco Food processing barrels
Wexco Food processing cylinders
Wexco High-performance bimetallic barrels
Wexco High-pressure sleeves
Wexco injection barrels
Wexco Injection cylinders
Wexco injection molding barrels
Wexco injection moulding barrels
Wexco Inlays
Wexco Intermeshing twin-screw barrels
Wexco Jacketed barrels
Wexco Jacketed cylinders
Wexco liners
Wexco Magnesium molding barrels
Wexco Magnesium molding cylinders
Wexco Metal molding barrels
Wexco Metal molding cylinders
Wexco Oil field liners
Wexco Parallel twin screw barrels
Wexco Parallel twin-screw barrels
Wexco Plastic molding barrels
Wexco Plastic molding cylinders
Wexco Plastic moulding barrels
Wexco Plastic moulding cylinders
Wexco Plastic processing barrels
Wexco plastic processing cylinders
Wexco Plastic reclaim barrels
Wexco Plastic reclaim cylinders
Wexco Plasticating barrels
Wexco Plasticating cylinders
Wexco Plasticating units
Wexco Rebuilding barrels
Wexco Rebuilding cylinders
Wexco Rebuilt barrels
Wexco Rebuilt cylinders
Wexco Relining cylinders
Wexco Relining barrels
Wexco Remanufactured barrels
Wexco Remanufactured cylinders
Wexco Replacement barrels
Wexco Replacement cylinders
Wexco Rubber molding barrels
Wexco Rubber molding cylinders
Wexco Rubber moulding barrels
Wexco Rubber moulding cylinders
Wexco rubber processing barrels
Wexco rubber processing cylinders
Wexco Segmented twin barrels
Wexco Separated twins
Wexco Spin-cast barrels
Wexco Spin-cast cylinders
Wexco Spun cast barrels
Wexco Spun cast cylinders
Wexco Stainless Steel cylinders
Wexco Stainless Steel barrels
Wexco Tangential twins
Wexco Tool steel barrels
Wexco Tool steel bore-liners
Wexco Tool steel cylinders
Wexco Tool steel-lined barrels
Wexco Tool steel-lined cylinders
Wexco Tungsten carbide inlay
Wexco Twin barrel relining
Wexco Twin barrel resleeving
Wexco Twin barrels
Wexco Twin cylinders
Wexco Twin-screw cylinder relining services
Wexco Twin-screw extrusion barrels
Wexco Twin-screw extrusion cylinders
Wexco Vented Barrels
Wexco Vented Cylinders