Steer World

Contact: Dr. Babu Padmanabhan CEO Mr. Satish Padmanabhan sales manager

290 4th Main, 4th Phase
Peenya Industrial Area
Bangalore, 560 058
India

Phone: ++91-80-839 5757
Fax: ++91-80-839 1374

E-mail

We manufacture fully wiping (self cleaning), co-rotating twin-screw compounding elements using hi-tech CAD/CAM facilities. The designs of the elements are made from basic compounding machine parameters such as barrel-diameter, center distance and constant clearance, and are completely interchangeable. The computer aided engineering methods developed by Dr. Babu Padmanabhan, CEO of Steer, ensures fully wiping profile for any lead of screw, any number of starts and any machine parameter.

The company also specializes in the manufacture of high-free volume elements, transition elements and various types of kneading blocks.

The Manufacturing Challenges are working on tough-to-machine tool steels, achieving several geometric accuracy's with complex shapes, dealing with a very large number of different elements and producing made-to-order parts with small lead-times.

Conveying
Elements

Mixing
Elements

Transition
Elements

Kneading
Blocks

Feeder
Elements

Other
Elements
  







Element with Serrated Splines

This Long Bi-lobed Conveying Element is a short lead element with SerratedSpline keyway. The Serrated splined shaft have a straight sided spline geometry with an included angle. An included angle of 60 degrees is used by WP. Other manufacturers using straight side splines with other included angles are Maris and Freesia Macros.

Element with Involute Splined Keyway

This Short Bi-lobed Normal Conveying Element is a long lead element with involute splines. Shafts with involute spline geometry are popular now with many manufacturers including APV, Toshiba and DGP Windsor


 

 



Element with Double Hexagonal Keyway

This Short Bi-lobed Normal Conveying Element with long lead has a double Hexagonal keyway. Although the shaft is a single hexagonal shaft, the double hexagonal keyway allows for the same element to be used on both shafts. The double hexagonal keyway in Kneading blocks also allows for greater flexibility in achieving different orientation between elements. The hexagonal shaft design is typically found in the older machines manufactured by APV, Toshiba and JSW.

Element with a Single Keyway

This Long Bi-lobed Normal Conveying Element is a regular lead element with a single keyway. A cylindrical shaft with a single key-way was the design for the very first twin-screw extruder. The established manufacturers of twin-screw extruders such as Ikegai, Toshiba, JSW, WP have older generation machines with the Single Key-way design.


 



Element with Semicircular Keyway

This Regular Bi-lobed Undercut Conveying Element is a regular lead element with semicircular keyway. Popular in older generation Berstorff machines the cylindrical shafts are provided with rods as keys. The number of keyways in the element may be two or four.

Element with Straight Side Spline

This Seven Segment Bi-lobed Right Handed Kneading Block has a Six Sided Straight Splined keyway. The Six Splined shaft was popular in the earlier generation of machines prior to the introduction of involute spline and serrated spline shafts.

Long Bi-lobed Conveying Element with Short lead

This Long Bi-lobed Normal Conveying Element is a short lead element. The profile of the element is called the Erdmenger profile (E) or the Normal (N) profile. The ratio of the lead to diameter is 0.5. In general, elements with lead to diameter ratios of 0.5-0.8 are used for building up pressure prior to the die-head or for increasing the fill the channels prior to mixing, and for squeezing prior to melting in the case of Crystalline or Semi-Crystalline polymers. These elements are no longer used in the melting zone of amorphous polymer due to excessive wear. The length of this element is twice as long as the lead of the element.

Regular Bi-lobed Conveying Element with regular lead

This Regular Bi-lobed Normal Conveying Element is a regular lead element. The ratio of the lead to diameter is 1.2. In general, elements with lead diameter ratios of 0.8 –1.2 are used for optimal conveying in the intake zone. They are also used in mixing zone and metering zone before the short lead elements. The Length this normal length element is the same as the lead of the element.

Short Conveying Element Bi-lobed Long lead

This Short Bi-lobed Normal Conveying Element is a long lead element. The ratio of Lead to Diameter is 2.0, In general, elements with lead to diameter ratios of 1.2 – 3.0 are used in the intake, side feeding zone and for decompression. The length of this short element is half of its lead.

Regular Undercut Conveying Element with a Regular lead

This Regular Bi-lobed Undercut Conveying Element is a regular lead element. The undercut profile also called SK (shortened form of German Schubkanten) is used to increase the free volume available for conveying. First introduced by Berstorff, they are mostly used in the intake zone, although sometimes they are used for decompression as well. The extent of the undercut can vary by further reduction in tipangle. Berstoff calls the element with higher level of undercut as Sonderteil elements.

Long Conveying Screw Tip End Element with Short Lead

This Long Bi-lobed Normal Conveying Element is a short lead element with a screw-tip end modification. This element is used as the last element just before the screw-tip.

Single Flight Conveying Element

This Single Flight (Uni-lobed) Conveying Element is of regular lead. This element is used in the intake zone for positive conveying of low viscous polymer melts.

Regular Tri-lobed Conveying Element with Long lead

This Regular Tri-lobed Normal Conveying Element is with Long Lead. The tri-lobes have a shallow flight depth compared to the bi-lobes. Any extruder with tri-lobed elements can also have bi-lobed and Single flight elements. For a given extruder the design with the higher number of lobes has the most free volume.

Regular Tri-lobed Conveying Element with Regular lead

This Regular Tri-lobed Normal Conveying Element is with Regular Lead.

Long Tri-lobed Conveying Element with Short lead

This Long Tri-lobed Normal Conveying Element is with Short Lead.

Eccentric Tri-lobed Conveying Elements

This Eccentric Tri-lobed Conveying Element is also referred to as a Camel back element. It has been used in the metering zone of Thermoset material.

Bi-lobed Multi Channel Screw Mixing Element

This Bi-lobed multi channel screw mixing element is used for distributive mixing. It is also used at the end of the melting zone whenever alloying of polymers with remarkably different rheological properties.

Bi-lobed Single Channel Left Handed Screw Mixing Element

This Bi-lobed Single channel Screw mixing element is used for enhanced Distributive mixing ability. In general more back mixing enhances distributive mixing

Bi-lobed Multi Channel Screw Mixing
Element with Short Lead

This Bi-lobed Single Channel Screw Mixing Element With Short Lead has a higher clearance due reduction in Outer Diameter. The higher clearances allow for more back mixing and better distributive mixing.

Single Row Tooth Mixing Element

This Single Row Tooth mixing Element is used for distributing strands in the melt. It was originally introduced as the last element in front of the die for equalising pressure. The tooth formation has varied from supplier. WP follows a symmetric tooth formation with different angles for the flight.

Multi Row Tooth Mixing Element

This Multi Row Tooth Mixing Element or Toothed block has a tooth formation shaped for cutting. It is effective when Glass is introduced in the form of Rovings. Berstorff uses the cutting tooth profile for its elements

Steer Mixing Element

One of the first elements designed at Steer. This element replaces the patented element of WP called the ZME element more effectively.

Regular Conveying Undercut Transition Element with Regular Lead

This Regular Undercut Transition Conveying Element is a regular lead element. The undercut profile (SK) is present on one end of the element. The other end is a Normal (N ) or Erdmenger profile. This element is therefore referred as an SKN element. These elements are used to form a transition from the intake zone consisting of SK element to Normal element in the melting zone.

Single Flight to Bi-lobe Transition Element

This is the Single flight (uni-lobe) to Bi-lobe Transition Element. Steer manufactures a perfect transition where every intermediate section between the Single Flight and Bi-lobe also forms a fully wiping profile. At this time, Steer is the only Company in the world that has a mathematical model for this element and capable of manufacturing using Computer Aided Manufacturing.

Single Flight to Tri-lobe Transition Element

This is the Single flight (uni-lobe) to Tri-lobe Transition Element. Steer manufactures a perfect transition where every intermediate section between the Single Flight and Tri-lobe also forms a fully wiping profile. At this time, Steer is the only Company in the world that has a mathematical model for this element and capable of manufacturing using Computer Aided Manufacturing.

Long Tri-lobed Undercut Transition Element with Regular lead

This Tri-lobed element is a transition from a Undercut (SK) profile to normal profile.

Long Tri-lobed Undercut to Deep-flite Transition Element with Regular lead

This Tri-lobed element is a transition from a Undercut (SK) profile to a deep-flite profile. Such deep-flite profiles are especially useful in the intake zone for low bulk density material.

Bi-lobed Single Kneading Disc

This Bi-lobed Kneading disc is a single segmented element. This element has a step provided on both sides of the element. The number of keyways seen in this element allows for a twist angle of 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 degree orientations in Left or Right handed direction. This is also possible in the case of Kneading discs with Splined key-way.

Five Segment Bi-lobed 45 degree Twist Left Handed Kneading Block

This Five Segment Bi-lobed Left Handed Kneading Block has a twist angle of 45 degrees. The Twist angle for a Segmented Bi-lobed Kneading block can be 30, 45, 60 or 90 in a right hand or left hand direction. 60 degrees is uncommon. This Left Hand Kneading Block is used in a left handed extruder. Normally, a reverse handed element is used to increase pressure buildup during melting or mixing. This increased in pressure buildup could result in higher shear in this zone.

Seven Segment Bi-lobed 30 degree Twist Right Handed Kneading Block

This Seven Segment Bi-lobed Right Handed Kneading Block has a twist angle of 30 degrees. The characteristics of this block is a gentler action on the melt. These blocks are used for dispersive mixing with out excessive shear.

Five Segment Bi-lobed Neutral Kneading Block

This Five Segment Bi-lobed Kneading Block has a twist angle of 90 degrees and therefore Neutral (i.e. neither Right handed or left handed). These blocks are used for dispersive mixing or melting with a higher level of shear action.

Five Segment Eccentric Tri-lobed Kneading
Block with Bi-lobe Ends

This Five Segment Eccentric tri lobed Kneading Block can be used in a bi-lobed extruder. The increase in number of lobes facilitates dispersive mixing or melting. These blocks originated by Steer can be used in any type of extruder including the older generation machines with Key-ways or straight sided splines.

Five Segment Tri-lobed Kneading Block

This Five Segment Tri-lobed Kneading Block is Left Handed.

Three Segment Tri-lobed Neutral Kneading Block

This Three Segment Tri-lobed Kneading Block is a Neutral block with unequal thickness.

Five Segment Eccentric Four-lobed
Kneading Block

This Four-lobed Eccentric Kneading Block is an extension to the design with eccentric tri-lobed blocks. This is meant for improving dispersive mixing.

Bilobed Single Feeder Element

This element is a side feeder screw designed for high free volume.

Throttle Ring

This element is called a Throttle Ring or a Blister. Primarily used for decompression for devolatising, this element does not find application due to severe reduction in output.

Screw Tip


This is a Screw Tip with two parts -a 'bolt' that retains the elements on the shaft and a 'screw tip' that streamlines the flow at the die-head. It is also possible to have a single piece screw tip.