Used Laboratory & Pilot-Scale Extruders for Sale
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Recently sold
SOLDItem #3013
Wayne Yellowjacket 1" Single Screw Lab Extruder
USA
SOLDItem #3686
Killion Lab Sheet Extrusion Line
USA
SOLDItem #3061
Killion Laboratory Filament/Ribbon System
USA
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About Used Laboratory & Pilot-Scale Extruders
Laboratory and pilot-scale extruders are small-bore machines (typically 3/4" to 1.5") used for R&D, color matching, formulation development, and small-batch production. Both single-screw and micro twin-screw lab extruders let processors develop and validate formulations before scaling to production lines.
When buying a used lab extruder, consider screw diameter, torque, available downstream accessories (pelletizer, film/strand take-off), and control/data capabilities. Meadoworks stocks laboratory and pilot extruders from Brabender, ThermoFisher/Haake, Leistritz, and American Kuhne. Contact us at 800-323-0307.
How to Choose a Used Laboratory Extruder
A small screw for a trial
A lab or pilot extruder is a small-diameter screw, often well under 1.5 inches, used to test a resin, a color, or a compound before it sees a production line. Output is pounds per hour you can catch in a bucket, not a saleable profile all shift. Twin-screw lab machines mix. Single-screw lab machines melt and pump.
Do not buy one to replace a production extruder. The gearbox, the die, and the rate are not that job.
What makes it useful
A segmented barrel, a vent, and the ability to change a screw configuration are why a compounder wants a lab twin screw. A fixed barrel that only runs one general-purpose screw is a small extruder, not a development tool. Data, melt temperature, and a die pressure reading matter more than a polished cover.
The drive has to turn the screw in the resin you will trial. A tiny motor on a filled compound will stall.
Laboratory Extruder Specs to Compare
| Spec | Typical range | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Screw diameter (mm) | Often about 16–30 mm | Small enough to trial a bag of resin. Too small to make product. |
| L/D | Has to be long enough to melt and, on a twin screw, to mix. Match it to the trial, not to a production 36:1 habit unless that is the trial. | |
| Screw type | Single screw melts. Twin screw compounds. Read which one is on the bench. | |
| Drive (hp or kW) | Has to turn your compound. A stalled lab screw teaches you nothing. |
Screw diameter (mm)
Typical range: Often about 16–30 mm
Small enough to trial a bag of resin. Too small to make product.
L/D
Has to be long enough to melt and, on a twin screw, to mix. Match it to the trial, not to a production 36:1 habit unless that is the trial.
Screw type
Single screw melts. Twin screw compounds. Read which one is on the bench.
Drive (hp or kW)
Has to turn your compound. A stalled lab screw teaches you nothing.
What to Inspect on a Used Laboratory Extruder
Identify single or twin
The screws and the gearbox tell you. The badge sometimes does not.
Heat the barrel
Every zone should hold. A lab tool with a dead zone lies about the resin.
Turn the screws
By hand if you can, then under power. Metal in the oil is a gearbox.
Find the die
A strand die or a ribbon die has to be in the crate or you cannot see the melt.
Related Equipment
- Desiccant Dryers
Dry the resin before it reaches the screw
More Extruders & Extrusion Lines types
Types of Extrusion
Common Applications
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a laboratory extruder used for?
Laboratory and pilot extruders are used for R&D, color and formulation matching, compounding trials, and process development. Their small footprint and low throughput let processors validate recipes before scaling to production lines.
Related Resources
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