Application · Plastic Masterbatch
High Filler Masterbatch: 85–90% Filling on a Kneader Line
Above 85% the melt stops behaving like a polymer: it will not take shear heat, and one machine cannot both wet out the filler and build die pressure. The line that holds 88–90% is a kneader compounding extruder — wetting and dispersing in the kneader, pressure only in the single screw behind it. A reference high filler masterbatch line page from Kerke.
High Filler Masterbatch — workshop photo 1, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
High Filler Masterbatch — workshop photo 2, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
High Filler Masterbatch — workshop photo 3, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
High Filler Masterbatch — workshop photo 4, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
High Filler Masterbatch — workshop photo 5, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
High Filler Masterbatch — workshop photo 6, Kerke workshop, NanjingQuick answer
High filler masterbatch is run on a kneader compounding extruder, not a twin screw, once CaCO3 passes about 85%: the kneader reactor wets out and disperses the mineral at high loading, and the single screw on its discharge does nothing but build die pressure. Output 100–1,200 kg/h. Water-ring hot-face cutting holds to about 85% filler; air-cooling die face takes over above it.
Workshop photos and a running video — shot on our own lines, not stock images.
What sets the limit
Above 85% filler the compound stops behaving like a polymer: shear heat degrades the carrier, while the melt still needs pressure to pass a die — and one machine cannot do both well. This line splits the duties. The kneader reactor wets out and disperses the mineral with a large heat-exchange surface and a narrow, near-plug-flow residence time; the single screw behind it only pressurises. What sets output is how much filler the kneading section can wet out per hour, not the screw speed — the discharge screw is sized from that figure, and its compression from the pressure the chosen cutting method needs.
| Parameter | Value / range |
|---|---|
| Filling | 85–90% (CaCO3, talc, mixed mineral) |
| Line | Kneader reactor + single screw discharge |
| Output | 100–1,200 kg/h |
| Mixing | Self-cleaning, plug-flow residence |
| Pelletizing | Water ring hot-face ≤ ~85%; air-cooling die face above |
| Same line, other duties | Carbon black > 40%, high-density colour masterbatch |
Output figures are measured on the reference material stated above. Filler grade, bulk density and moisture move output by ±15% — that is why every quotation we issue is tied to a trial report.
Process flow, step by step
- FeedingAgitated loss-in-weight feeder on the mineral and a second one on the carrier; 1,250-mesh CaCO3 and talc bridge at the throat of a plain hopper.
- KneadingThe kneading section wets out and disperses the filler at 85–90% loading — self-cleaning rotors, large heat-exchange surface, near-plug-flow residence time.
- DischargeThe single screw draws compound from the kneading section and builds die pressure at low speed; sized from the kneading capacity, not from motor kW.
- DevolatilizationVacuum at the discharge pulls the moisture the mineral carries in; without it the pellets go porous at 88% loading.
- Pelletizing and packingWater-ring hot-face to about 85%, air-cooling die face above it; then centrifugal dryer, vibrating screen and bagging.
Equipment configuration
| Stage | Equipment | Why this choice |
|---|---|---|
| Mixing | Kneader compounding extruder KNE-400 / 800 / 1200 | Self-cleaning kneading section with a large heat-exchange surface wets out 85–90% filler without the dispersive shear heat that yellows the carrier. |
| Discharge | Single screw extruder SE-120 – SE-200 | Builds die pressure only. The cheapest wear part on the line, and the one to size from the kneading capacity. |
| Feeding | Loss-in-weight feeder with agitator on the mineral | 1,250 mesh and finer bridges in a plain hopper; agitation keeps dosing within ±0.5%. |
| Pelletizing | Water-ring hot-face, air-cooling die face above 85% | The strand embrittles above 80% filler; the choice follows loading, not budget. |
| Downstream | Centrifugal dryer, vibrating screen, bagging | Fines below 2% and moisture below the specification of your downstream process. |
Output by model
| Line | Output (kg/h) | Discharge screw | Pelletizing | Typical product |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KNE-400 | 100–400 | SE-120 / SE-150 | Water ring hot-face | High filler masterbatch, CaCO3 > 85% |
| KNE-800 | 400–800 | SE-180 | Water ring or strand | TPU · TPE · TPO · TPR, high-density colour masterbatch |
| KNE-1200 | 800–1,200 | SE-200 | Underwater or air-cooling die face | Carbon black masterbatch > 40%, tonnage |
Three mistakes that cost the most
1. Quoting the line on motor kW
Quoting the line on motor kW — two kneader lines with the same installed power can differ by 40% in output, because wetting capacity per hour, not power, sets the rate. Size the discharge screw from that figure and the quote holds.
2. Strand pelletizing at 88%
Strand pelletizing at 88% — the strand embrittles and snaps in the water bath. Water-ring hot-face holds to about 85%, air-cooling die face above it; the cutting method is decided by filler level, not by pelletizer price.
3. Feeding 1,250-mesh mineral from a plain hopper
Feeding 1,250-mesh mineral from a plain hopper — fine CaCO3 and talc bridge at the throat, and the line then runs at whatever the feeder leaks. An agitated loss-in-weight feeder is part of the line, not an accessory.
FAQ
Kneader line or two-stage twin screw at 85%?
Up to about 85% a two-stage KTE/SE twin screw line is cheaper per kg/h and simpler to run. Above it, or when the carrier is heat-sensitive, the kneader wins: it wets out the mineral without the dispersive shear heat that yellows masterbatch, and the discharge screw adds pressure without adding mixing.
Why put a single screw behind the kneader?
Because building die pressure inside the kneading section would add exactly the shear the kneader was chosen to avoid. The screw does pressure only, at low speed — it is also the cheapest wear part on the line to replace when abrasive filler finally takes it.
Can the same line run carbon black or colour masterbatch?
Yes. Carbon black above 40% and high-density colour masterbatch are the other two duties of this platform: same kneading section, different rotor and die set, plus a cleaning cycle between grades. That is why the line is quoted by material family rather than by a single product.
What output can you guarantee for this application?
The reference band is 100–1,200 kg/h, measured on the stated material. We quote a guaranteed figure only after a trial on your own material, because filler grade, bulk density and moisture move output by ±15%.
Can we run our material before ordering?
Yes — send 25–50 kg. We return pellets, a running video and a report with temperatures, screw speed, feeder settings and output per hour. The trial is free; you cover the freight.
What is the delivery time?
30–45 working days for standard configurations, 45–70 for custom screw geometry and ODM work. Voltage and frequency are built for the destination country.
Where these numbers come from
Parameters are taken from the Kerke product parameter table and the product master data sheet, and cross-checked against commissioning records for lines in the same application. Formulations and temperature windows are typical industry values, not a recommendation for your specific compound — every figure marked reference must be confirmed on a material trial before it becomes a contractual number.
Reviewed by the Kerke process team, Nanjing. Page updated 6 November 2026.
Send 25–50 kg and we run it on our lab extruder: pellets, running video and a capacity report back in 3–7 days.
High filler masterbatch line — the short version
Note on high filler masterbatch line: the numbers above are reference ranges from Kerke's own trial runs, not catalogue promises. Screw geometry, wear package and pelletizing method are set on the trial bench first, so the output you compare is the output you get. If your grade is not in the tables, send it — the closest configuration is usually a change of screw set, not a different machine.
Planning an upgrade this quarter? Send the material and the target output — the configuration comes back within one working day.
Every quotation lists the wear package as a separate line, so its cost is visible from day one.
Questions are answered the same day, in English or Chinese.
Note on high filler masterbatch line: the data on this page was last verified on our own test line in Nanjing.
Not sure which high filler masterbatch line configuration fits? Describe the material and the pellet shape required — we answer with a recommendation, not a brochure.
A high filler masterbatch line from Kerke ships with CE documentation, a test-run record and a recommended spare set.
Related on this site: Machine range: KTE-50B to 135D · Pelletizing methods compared · quotation and free trial · Wikipedia: Masterbatch