Selecting the right pressure transmitter demands a thorough understanding of your operating environment. Below is the complete application profile:
| Industries Served | Plastic extrusion (film, sheet, pipe, profile), injection molding, blow molding, rubber compounding & calendering, synthetic fiber spinning, hot melt adhesive manufacturing, asphalt processing, food extrusion (snacks, pet food) |
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| Measured Media | Polymer melts (PP, PE, PVC, PET, nylon, PC, ABS, PEEK), rubber compounds, hot melt adhesives, asphalt/bitumen, molten waxes, food dough/paste, and other high-temperature viscous fluids |
| Temperature Range | Media: up to 350°C continuous (400°C peak); Ambient electronics: -20°C to +85°C with heat sink protection |
| Pressure Range | 0-35 bar to 0-1000 bar; typical melt pressure ranges are 0-350 bar for general extrusion, 0-700 bar for injection molding, 0-1000 bar for high-pressure compounding |
| Corrosivity | Standard 17-4PH SS diaphragm for clean polymer melts; Inconel 718 diaphragm for corrosive off-gases (PVC/HCl), fluoropolymer processing, and chemically aggressive compounds |
| Viscosity | High-viscosity polymer melts (500-100,000+ cP) -- sensor is specifically designed for thick, slow-flowing media that would clog narrow ports on standard pressure transmitters |
| Installation Conditions | Threaded directly into extruder barrel, melt pump housing, or die adapter plate; requires proper thermal insulation of electronics housing; water cooling jacket recommended when ambient >60°C near mounting location |
Many procurement professionals have experienced the limitations of conventional pressure measurement approaches:
| Standard Industrial Transmitters (85°C max) | Electronics and fill fluid are not rated for melt temperatures; thermal damage occurs within hours of exposure; standard stainless steel O-rings and seals degrade rapidly above 150°C. |
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| Mechanical Bourdon Tube Melt Gauges | No electrical signal output for extrusion control systems; fill medium (mercury in older units) presents environmental and operator safety hazards; mechanical linkages wear and develop hysteresis in vibrating extruder environments. |
| Capillary Remote Seal Designs (without heat dissipation) | The fill fluid in the capillary still absorbs process heat; without a properly sized heat sink, the fill fluid can boil or thermally degrade within weeks, creating offset errors and eventual seal failure. |
| Infrared Non-Contact Temperature Measurement | Measures temperature, not pressure. Cannot replace a pressure sensor for melt pump control, screen changer monitoring, or die pressure optimization. Different measurement entirely. |
The QWP-4088HT is purpose-built for the extreme conditions of polymer melt pressure measurement. It features a thick abrasion-resistant 17-4PH stainless steel diaphragm, NaK (sodium-potassium) high-temperature fill fluid, and an integrated finned aluminum heat sink that protects the electronics from process heat. The standard 1/2-20 UNF mounting thread fits directly into all major extruder barrel ports, and the 4-20mA output integrates seamlessly with extrusion control systems from B&R, Beckhoff, and all major PLC platforms.
Core Capabilities at a Glance:
| 17-4PH / Inconel 718 Diaphragm | Thick, hardened diaphragm with 3-5× the abrasion life of standard 316L in glass-filled polymer service. Inconel 718 option for corrosive off-gas environments (PVC, fluoropolymer processing). |
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| NaK Fill Fluid System | Sodium-potassium eutectic fill fluid remains liquid and thermally stable from -10°C to 500°C. Unlike silicone oils that degrade above 300°C, NaK maintains consistent volumetric expansion characteristics ensuring minimal zero drift. |
| Multi-Fin Heat Dissipation | Die-cast aluminum finned heat sink with optimized thermal path reduces electronics temperature by 100-150°C versus direct mount. Enables the transmitter to operate in 350°C process conditions with electronics below 85°C. |
| Flush-Face Mounting Design | Zero dead volume between diaphragm and process -- no cavities for polymer to stagnate, degrade, or solidify. Eliminates false pressure readings from plugged sensing ports. |
| Flexible Stem + Capillary Options | Rigid stem (standard) for direct mounting; flexible capillary with remote electronics housing for installations with severe space constraints or ambient heat sources near the mounting port. |
The QWP-4088HT installs directly into the standard 1/2-20 UNF pressure port found on all major extruder barrels, melt pumps, and die adapters:
| Step 1 -- Clean the Mounting Port | Purge the extruder with clean polymer to clear the mounting hole of degraded material and carbon deposits. The port must be completely filled with melt before sensor insertion to prevent trapped air. |
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| Step 2 -- Insert & Finger-Tighten | Insert the sensor tip fully into the port with the diaphragm flush against the melt stream. Finger-tighten the 1/2-20 UNF threaded collar. The diaphragm must be exactly flush -- recessed or protruding installation causes measurement errors. |
| Step 3 -- Torque to Specification | Apply the specified torque (typically 40-50 Nm for 1/2-20 UNF) using a torque wrench. Over-torque damages the mounting threads; under-torque may cause melt leakage at operating pressure. |
| Step 4 -- Connect Cooling (if applicable) | For water cooling: connect 6mm OD tubing to the cooling jacket inlet and outlet ports. Maintain minimum 2 L/min flow rate. For air cooling: ensure unobstructed airflow across the finned heat sink. |
| Step 5 -- Electrical Connection & Zero Set | Connect the 2-wire 4-20mA cable using the M12 or DIN 43650 connector. With the extruder at operating temperature but zero pressure (screw stopped), perform a zero trim via the calibration interface. |
Installation during a normal die/mold change takes approximately 20 minutes. Always install at operating temperature to avoid thermal expansion mismatch. Calibration verification recommended after the first 48 hours of operation and every 3 months thereafter in continuous production.
| Industry | Plastic Packaging -- PET Sheet Extrusion |
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| Measured Media | PET (polyethylene terephthalate) melt at intrinsic viscosity 0.80 dL/g |
| Temperature | +275°C to +285°C at the die |
| Pressure | 0-200 bar (melt pump inlet and outlet differential) |
| Installation Environment | Extruder barrel and melt pump housing, ambient temperature 45-55°C near the machine, continuous 24/7 production |
| Customer Problem | A PET sheet manufacturer producing thermoforming-grade sheet experienced 6-8% thickness variation across the web width, resulting in 5 tons of rejected sheet per month. The existing pressure monitoring used only a single pressure transducer before the melt pump with no die pressure measurement, making it impossible to identify whether the extruder, melt pump, or die was the source of the variation. |
| Solution | Installed 3 QWP-4088HT transmitters: one at extruder discharge, one at melt pump inlet, and one at the die entry. Trend data from all 3 measurement points was fed to the extrusion control system for coordinated pressure control. |
| Installation Location | Standard 1/2-20 UNF pressure ports on the extruder barrel, melt pump housing, and sheet die adapter plate |
| Result | Web thickness variation reduced from 6-8% to under 2%. Material waste eliminated, saving 60 tons/year of rejected sheet worth approximately $90,000. Melt pump differential pressure control optimized energy consumption, reducing extruder motor load by 7%. |