Method for making extruded test specimens usable in evaluating mechanical and other material properties of plastic used in the manufacture of extruded products

摘要

An apparatus and related methods for making test specimens. The apparatus transforms a first length of a material, extruded through a die of an extruder in accordance with a predetermined set of extrusion parameters, into a second length of material useable as at least one test specimen for evaluating material properties of the material extruded according to the predetermined set of extrusion parameters. The apparatus includes a transitioning plate having an orifice defining an input opening and an output opening, the input opening having a predetermined profile area that corresponds to a profile area of an orifice of the die, the input opening for receiving material extruded through the die orifice, the output opening having a predetermined profile area corresponding to that of the at least one test specimen. The method involves aligning the orifice of the transitioning plate apparatus with the orifice of a die fitted to an extruder and using the transitioning plate to transform a first length of material, extruded through the die orifice by the extruder, into a second length of material having the desired test specimen profile area, the second length of material being useable as at least one test specimen for evaluating material properties of the material as extruded according to the predetermined set of extrusion parameters.