ABSTRACT
Pelletization is a downstream operation for a melt extrusion process where
materials are taken from a device such as an extruder or melt pump, pumped
through a die, cooled, and formed into a ‘‘pellet.’’ Many products enter their
first solid or densified state in a ‘‘pellet’’ form. This pellet, typically 3 mm in size or less, is then processed in another extruder, or molding machine. The
main goal of pelletization is to facilitate the consistent feeding, transport, and
packaging of the pellets. Generally, the pellet itself is made up of multiple
components that have been compounded in a device, such as a twin-screw
extruder, so that the material has desired properties.
