A lab extruder reproduces a full production line at a tiny scale, so you can develop compounds, tooling and process settings on grams of material instead of tonnes. As lab extruder manufacturers in India, we build single- and twin-screw laboratory and pilot extruders and match them to whatever you need to test — film, sheet, tube, cable, compound or biopolymer.
What Is a Lab Extruder?
A laboratory extruder carries out the same core steps as a production machine — feeding, melting, mixing and shaping through a die — but at research scale. Screw diameters usually run from 16 mm to 30 mm with L/D ratios of 20:1 to 30:1, keeping material use and cost low while still representing how a compound will behave at full scale. For the underlying method, see extrusion.
Because the extruder stays constant while the downstream tooling changes, one lab line can trial many products. We build both single-screw units for straightforward extrusion trials and twin-screw units for compounding and reactive work.
Lab Extruders by Application
We configure each lab extruder around the product you are developing. Explore the application that fits your R&D:
- lab extruder for blown film — test blown-film grades and multilayer structures on 25–50 g/10min resins before scaling up
- lab extruder for tube extrusion — develop medical, PVC and PU tubing recipes and tooling at gram-scale output
- lab extruder for sheet extrusion — trial sheet and film-on-chill-roll formulations and surface finishes
- lab extruder for cable extrusion — prove insulation and sheathing compounds and crosshead settings for wire and cable
- lab extruder for pelletizing — compound and pelletize masterbatch, additives and reactive blends in small batches
- lab extruder for PLA & biopolymers — test PLA, PHA and other biopolymer filaments and wire for R&D and 3D-printing feedstock
Why Choose Sai Extrumech Lab Extruders
- Single- or twin-screw, matched to your material and test goals
- Screw diameters from 16–30 mm with custom L/D and compression ratios
- Interchangeable downstream so one line covers film, sheet, tube, cable and pelletizing
- Built by an established screw, barrel and tooling manufacturer — a clear upgrade path to a full production line
- Backed by spare parts and service support
From Lab to Production
The point of a lab extruder is a clean scale-up. Once a recipe and tooling are proven at lab scale, we build the matching production extrusion line using the same process logic, so the settings you validated in R&D carry across. For a primer on the process itself, read how plastic extrusion works.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a lab extruder?
A lab extruder is a small-scale extruder used for research, formulation and pilot production. It reproduces the melting, mixing and shaping of a full production line at gram-to-kilogram output, so R&D teams can test compounds, tooling and process settings before committing to a full-size line.
What screw sizes do lab extruders use?
Laboratory and pilot extruders typically use screws from about 16 mm to 30 mm diameter, with L/D ratios of 20:1 to 30:1. The small screw keeps material use low while still representing production behaviour.
What can you make on a lab extruder?
With the right downstream, a lab extruder can produce blown film, sheet, tube, cable insulation, pelletized compound and biopolymer filament. The extruder stays the same; the tooling and take-off change with the application.
Why buy a lab extruder before a production line?
A lab extruder lets you prove a formulation, tooling design and process window at low cost and low material use. Getting the recipe right at lab scale avoids expensive trial-and-error on a full production line.
Are lab extruders single or twin screw?
Both. Single-screw lab extruders suit straightforward extrusion trials; twin-screw lab extruders are used for compounding, reactive extrusion and heavily filled formulations that need strong mixing.
