A critical review of dynamic modeling and control of plasticating extruders

Abstract This is a critical review of the recent literature on plasticating extruder dynamic modeling and control, The papers reviewed are divided into three categories: extruder disturbance studies, classical control and modeling studies, and stochastic control studies. It was found that most researchers have concentrated on modeling the long‐term disturbances associated with the extruder melt temperature, melt pressure or extrudate thickness. The control problem for these variables has been treated to a much lesser extent. The difficult to control and industrially important high frequency disturbances have been, in the most part, neglected. Recommendations are made for the future direction of research into extruder control.