Normally, the surface of the IXPE master sheets obtained from the IXPE extruder should be smooth. However, in over water-cooled IXPE master sheets, sometimes longitudinal lines resembling ripples (usually parallel to the traction direction) appear on the surface or inside the IXPE master sheets. This phenomenon is called "water ripples" in the industry. Water ripples visually affect the appearance and lower the grade of IXPE foam products; performance-wise, they indicate uneven thickness of the IXPE foam sheet and localized degradation of physical properties (such as tensile strength and barrier properties). In short, water ripples have a significant impact on the quality of IXPE foam products. This article, drawing on over ten years of experience from several senior process engineers at Qin Ding Company, will provide a brief analysis of the causes of water ripples on IXPE master sheets and how to handle them, hoping to help our customers.

From December 13th to 14th, 2025, Qin Ding Company organized a two-day team-building trip to Xiandu, Jinyun County for all employees of the Shanggao Business Unit of Qinding. The main participants in this activity were all employees of the Shanggao Business Unit (Main produts: XPE and IXPE Finished Foaming products) and some of their family members. The main purpose was as an annual employee benefit; to increase cooperation among team members; and to enhance the relationship between employees and management.

The structural design of the special extruder screw for IXPE foaming machine production is crucial to the plasticization uniformity of IXPE mixture materials. For example, the configuration of the threaded elements of the screw, the number and arrangement of mixing zones, etc. Multiple kneading sections and mixing elements are installed on the extruder screw dedicated for the production of IXPE foaming machines, which can realize multiple dispersion and mixing of IXPE mixture materials. But at the same time, if the IXPE mixture material is overmixed in the screw, it will easily decompose, causing the IXPE foam mother sheet to foam when it exits the extruder die (pre-foaming phenomenon). Therefore, the design of the mixing unit needs to be optimized. Our company has added innovative functions such as barrier threads, reverse elements and distributed mixing elements to the design of the extruder screw dedicated to the production of IXPE foaming machines, which can further optimize the design of the mixing unit and achieve the purpose of fully plasticizing the very good IXPE mixture without decomposition.

The IXPE foam coil unwinding and take-up auxiliary equipment under-beam system (arranged in order) consists of the first IXPE foam coil unwinder, the second IXPE foam coil unwinder, the IXPE foam coil storage rack (unwinding side), the EB electron beam under-beam system, the IXPE foam coil traction system, the IXPE foam coil guide system, the IXPE foam coil storage rack (rewinding side), the first IXPE foam coil unwinder, the second IXPE foam coil unwinder, and the electronic control system. The IXPE foam coil unwinding and take-up auxiliary equipment under-beam system is a key component of the IXPE irradiation process and, together with the accelerator mainframe, completes the physical cross-linking process of the IXPE foam mother sheet.

Recently, a friend asked about selecting an IXPE extruder and wanted to know the differences between the extrusion modes of IXPE and other extruders. The following is a summary for reference by colleagues who are considering working with XPE foam or IXPE foam. XPE foam and IXPE foam master sheet extrusion molding is a process in which the mixed raw materials of XPE and IXPE are extruded through the screw and barrel of the XPE foam and IXPE foam master sheet extruder to uniformly plasticize the raw materials such as PE, and then forced through the die of the XPE foam and IXPE foam master sheet extruder to become a continuous product with a certain width and thickness.

Qinding Company provided 4 sets of SPC-specific IXPE foaming machine lines at one time to the overseas production base of a domestic large multinational SPC production enterprise. According to customer requirements, the most advanced technology and production process were introduced in the design of the IXPE foaming machine production line; at the same time, many automation systems were added to the entire IXPE foaming machine production line. This set of IXPE foaming machine production line greatly saves labor costs, reduces waste and possible human errors; and introduces advanced catalytic combustion heat exchange system, which is very energy-saving.

In order to facilitate better and faster installation at our IXPE foreign customer, this IXPE foaming machine production line adopts a fully modular design. Moreover, the design size of the IXPE foaming machine line, both the IXPE foaming main body and the auxiliary machine, are suitable for 40HQ container shipments, which greatly reduces the usage fees and sea freight of non-standard containers for customers. This IXPE foaming machine production line uses a total of 9 containers.

The IXPE foam machine lines adopt the structure of horizontal foaming furnace + vertical foaming furnace. These IXPE foam machine lines use gas heating. It integrates the high-efficiency waste air recovery & heating integrated hot blast stove researched and developed by our company. The entire production line ONLY NEEDS ONE set of 300,000 kcal gas burner to meet the heat energy required for IXPE foaming. Really achieved the effect of energy saving and environmental protection.

This IXPE foaming production line includes the following components: unwinding machine for IXPE foaming machine line, special feeder for IXPE foaming machine, horizontal foaming furnace of IXPE foam machine, vertical foaming furnace of IXPE foam machine, vacuum adsorption expansion mechanism for IXPE foaming machine, furnace mouth traction machine and five-roller cooling machine, A complete IXPE foaming unit such as a special sheet tractor for a foaming machine, a special winding machine for a foaming machine, etc.

Halogen-free flame retardants include all halogen-free flame retardants or flame retardant systems. The main mechanism of action of halogen-free flame retardants is to form a porous carbon layer, which has the advantages of low smoke and non-toxicity. Generally, halogen-free flame retardants can be divided into inorganic flame retardants and organic flame retardants. Halogen-free flame retardant is an emerging flame retardant system in the XPE foaming and IXPE foaming industries in recent years. In the XPE foaming and IXPE foaming industries, the performance is between bromine-based flame retardants and aluminum hydride-based flame retardants. However, this flame retardant has the advantages of environmental protection, low smoke, and good flame retardant effect. In the formula system of XPE foam and IXPE foam, PE halogen-free flame retardant is commonly used, which is an organic flame retardant. Therefore, it has good compatibility with the mixture during the extrusion process of XPE foam and IXPE foam, and the formula system is also easy to adjust. Moreover, halogen-free flame retardants can meet both the EU WEEE and ROHS directives. Halogen-free flame retardants will definitely become the mainstream of XPE foam and IXPE foam flame retardant materials.