Duplex Vacuum Plodder

A duplex vacuum plodder is a soap-making machine that is used to extrude the final soap. Suitable for stamping, the machine comprises of two separate stages in which the first stage is a refiner and the second stage is an extruder. The second stage, i.e. extruder is used to produce the final bar shape in a long continuous billet. A vacuum chamber that functions to de-erate the soap connects these two stages. An extruder is commonly called a plodder in the soap manufacturing industry.

The Vacuum Duplex Plodder is used to extrude the final product, which is a long continuous soap bar and at this point it is completely finished. At this stage, the soap bar is actually finished and the only thing left is to change the form of bar by cutting the billets into smaller pieces and stamping a shape if needed.

The extruder screw of top noodle plodder carries the milled soap ribbons of soap from hopper and compresses the soap as it tries to pass through the noodle plate. There is a rotating knife that is used to cut the noodles as they come out of the noodle plate and finally fall in to the vacuum chamber. The bottom screw binds the soap noodles under vacuum as the soap mass from the mouth of the cone through the die under pressure.

Extruder has a seamless stainless steel pipe and there is an aluminum alloy screw that rotates inside the pipe. The pressing action binds the soap under vacuum and as the soap mass comes out of the conical mouth of the plodder it is cut into equal size bars. The pipe is jacketed to distribute water in it and the mouth of cone has the facility to hold heater and temperature sensor. After a specific temperature is achieved it can be maintained through a thermostat mechanism, which ensures that the soap bar has a shiny appearance and emerges freely. Maintaining the temperature is important as if the temperature is too high the soap surface will be blistered and in case the temperature is low, the surface will be dull.

Uses
An important equipment in the entire soap unit, plodder machines play a crucial role in giving final shape to a soap bar. The ribbon like mass, which passes through the load thrust carrier plodded the mass compactly thereby giving it high quality finesses. The thrust load carrier extrudes the mass in the form of a bar. Distinctive design of die is furnished with the mouth piece of extrusion barrel to attain a specific size of bar and then it can cuts into convenient size of cakes. The extrusion machine comes with adequate arrangements for heating and cooling and the bars for toilet soaps and detergent cakes can be taken as per the requirements.

Types
Besides the simple soap duplex plodder machines (single worm), another form of duplex vacuum plodder machines are also available that are provided with twin worms. For high T.F.M. toilet soaps, manufacturers also offer the two stage (duplex) plodders with provision for vacuum made in them to reduce moisture the content in the end soap bar being extruded. On the basis of features, design and characteristics, soap duplex plodder machines can be categorized into four types -

• Single worm simplex plodder
• Single worm duplex plodder
• Double worm simplex plodder
• Double worm duplex plodders

Salient Features
Now days, the soap duplex vacuum plodder machines come with a variety of salient features, including -

• Easy to use and maintenance
• Come with built in vacuum pump
• Robust design and structure
• Die is very easy to change that makes it possible to produce different shapes and sizes of toilet soaps