Development of a Digital Twin of the Extruder for Production of Filament from Low Density Polyethylene

The article explores the creation of a digital twin for an extruder used in the production of low-density polyethylene filaments. Utilizing COMSOL Multiphysics software, the authors modeled the hydrodynamics and viscosity characteristics of the molten polymer, achieving a high degree of accuracy with a relative error of only 0.6%. The digital twin was successfully scaled up to an industrial level, offering a method to convert an extruder from producing granules to filaments. This approach not only optimizes the production process but also provides a framework for predicting the behavior of composite materials based on low-density polyethylene. The article underscores the potential for significant cost savings and efficiency gains in the production of high-quality filaments for 3D printing.