May 13 to 14, 2026 Polymers Center of Excellence (PCE), Charlotte, NC
It’s not a conference, it's a workshop!
Leistritz Extrusion will host the2026 Reactive Extrusion (REX) Workshop, a first-time event to be held at the Polymers Center of Excellence (PCE) in Charlotte, NC, USA. In addition to classroom sessions, REX twin screw extrusion systems and analytical testing methods will be demonstrated at the PCE facility.
Lunch and handout materials will be provided on both days, as well as a dinner reception on the first day.
Space is limited and a sell-out is expected for this first-time event! We suggest you register ASAP.
Why a REX Workshop? Twin screw extruders facilitate reactions and create polymers that might otherwise be difficult, if not impossible, to synthesize in a batch process. The extruder is a small mass device (melt pool inside screw flights and a barrel) that mixes and conveys both high and low viscosity materials, generates high interfacial areas between differing phases of materials, efficiently contacts gases and liquids with high viscosity polymers, and is ideally suited to process small percentages of a component into a complex formulation. The result is a continuous process with better manufacturing efficiencies, improved product quality, and shorter reaction times as compared a batch processing. Scale-up from lab to production is easier too.
Note flight depth of TSE for shortmass transfer distances
By attending the Leistritz Extrusion REX workshop you will learn the theories, operating principles and maintenance advantages inherent with the continuous twin screw extrusion REX process.
Program Agenda
This program is subject to change.
WEDNESday, MAY 13, 2026
Day One
Classroom Sessions
Twin screw extruders operating theory, design, tips and test results
Co-rotating intermeshing twin screw mode
Counter-rotating intermeshing twin screw mode
Intermeshing and non-intermeshing mode
Single screw extruders
Process section design: screws and barrels
PLC/HMI, controls architecture and system integration
Explosion proof (XP) configurations
Reactive Extrusion
Monomers+ into the twin screw extruder and polymers out
Graft reactions
Polycondensation REX
Degradation REX
Devolatilization systems
Coarse DV, fine DV, stripping agents
Vacuum pump types and system design
Maintenance of vacuum pumps/systems
Upstream equipment
Metering systems
Solids and liquid feed streams
Pre-reactors
Thin film or falling strand evaporators
Injection systems for stripping
Downstream equipment
Die design/modeling
Gear pumps
Screw pumps
Filtration equipment
Pelletizing: strand, die face underwater and air quench
Direct extrusion: film/sheet/tube/profile
Other topics
Bioplastics REX systems
Commonly encountered REX problems
R&D techniques
Scale-up of REX process
Review of patent literature
Unique/atypical REX installations
Maintenance of REX equipment
Lunch and DInner Reception
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Day Two
Presentations and Demonstrations
Case studies that will be presented, for example:
TPU REX twin screw extrusion system
Thermoplastics Urethane REX system: Liquid feed streams are metered into the TSE by injection pumps equipped with mass-flow meters to monitor/control the rate and formulation %s. The TSE process section (L/D, screw design, vent configuration) and feed rate are designed according to the intended molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the TPU.
