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Color Masterbatch Extruder Line: Screw Design & Pelletizing

Colour masterbatch is a dispersion business with a cleaning problem attached: the same line has to make 20% pigment dispersion and then be spotless again in twenty minutes for the next colour. A reference color masterbatch extruder line page from Kerke.

Updated 6 November 2026

Output 100–1,200 kg/h

Line type Co-rotating twin screw KTE

Basis parameter table + material trial

Color Masterbatch Extruder Line — workshop photo 1, Kerke workshop, Nanjing

Color Masterbatch Extruder Line — workshop photo 2, Kerke workshop, Nanjing

Color Masterbatch Extruder Line — workshop photo 3, Kerke workshop, Nanjing

Color Masterbatch Extruder Line — workshop photo 4, Kerke workshop, Nanjing

Color Masterbatch Extruder Line — workshop photo 5, Kerke workshop, Nanjing

Color Masterbatch Extruder Line — workshop photo 6, Kerke workshop, Nanjing

Running video — Color Masterbatch Extruder Line, Kerke workshop

Quick answer

Colour masterbatch lines run 20–60% pigment on a co-rotating twin screw with L/D 40–48 and a dispersive mixing block, pelletized by water ring or strand. Output 100–1,200 kg/h; changeover between colours is the real constraint, not throughput.

40–48screw L/D

80–120mesh filtration

150–250 kg/hKTE-65B, general colour

Workshop photos and a running video — shot on our own lines, not stock images.

What sets the limit

Pigment powder, carrier and wax are metered separately by gravimetric feeders, melted in barrel 1–2, dispersed through a 45°/5/45° mixing block, filtered at the die and pelletized. Fast colour change depends on barrel access and a split barrel design, not on screw speed.

**Table 1.** Key parameters for color masterbatch extruder line. Reference values — confirm on a material trial.
Parameter	Value / range
Pigment loading	20–60% (TiO₂ up to 70% on white lines)
L/D	40–48
Temperature	150–200 °C depending on carrier
Pelletizing	Water ring / strand / underwater
Output (reference)	100–1,200 kg/h
Model	KTE-50B to KTE-75B

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

FeedingLoss-in-weight dosing of polymer and filler; side feeder or liquid injection where the formulation needs it.
Melting and dispersingScrew geometry with 45°/90° kneading blocks; barrel profile 150–200 °C depending on carrier.
DevolatilizationVacuum vent at −0.06 to −0.09 MPa removes moisture and volatiles before the die.
Pressure build-upThrottle or discharge section stabilises die pressure; a melt pump where gauge control matters.
Pelletizing and packingWater ring / strand / underwater; then centrifugal dryer, vibrating screen and bagging.

Equipment configuration

**Table 2.** What the line is made of, and why each part is specified that way.
Stage	Equipment	Why this choice
Main machine	Co-Rotating Twin Screw Extruder	Architecture follows the filling level and the mixing duty, not the required tonnage.
Screw geometry	Building-block elements, W6Mo5Cr4V2, bimetallic liner	Wear package for abrasive filler; mixing blocks only where dispersion demands them.
Feeding	Loss-in-weight feeder, side feeder where needed	Recipe accuracy: ±0.5% short term on the weighed component.
Pelletizing	Pelletizing system	Chosen by polymer and filler ceiling — water contact is the deciding column.
Downstream	Centrifugal dryer, vibrating screen, bagging	Fines below 2% and moisture below the specification of your downstream process.

Output by model

**Table 3.** Co-rotating twin screw KTE — reference output. Full range on the machine page.
Model	Dia. (mm)	Speed (rpm)	Motor (kW)	Torque (N·m)	Output (kg/h)
KTE-50B	50.5	500–600	55–75	2×525	80–200
KTE-50D	50.5	300–800	75–90	2×860	100–300
KTE-52B	51.4	500–600	55–75	2×720	80–200
KTE-52D	51.4	500–600	75–110	2×1050	100–400
KTE-65B	62.4	500–600	90–110	2×860	200–450
KTE-65D	62.4	300–800	132–160	2×1530	350–600
KTE-75B	71	500–600	132–160	2×1530	300–800
KTE-75D	71	300–800	200–315	2×2100	500–1000
KTE-85B	85	500–600	220–315	2×2100	550–1000
KTE-95B	93	500–600	250–315	2×3000	800–1500
KTE-95D	93	500–800	315–500	2×4800	1000–2000
KTE-135B	135	500–600	315–500	2×4800	1500–3000
KTE-135D	135	500–800	500–1000	2×7800	1500–4000

Three mistakes that cost the most

1. Judging dispersion by eye

Judging dispersion by eye — specify a filter-pressure value (bar) and a let-down test instead.

2. Under-specifying the feeder: pigment at 0.5% of throughput needs ±0.3% accuracy, which rul

Under-specifying the feeder: pigment at 0.5% of throughput needs ±0.3% accuracy, which rules out single-screw volumetric feeders.

3. Adding kneading blocks until dispersion feels safe

Adding kneading blocks until dispersion feels safe — every extra block adds 3–6% specific energy and raises melt temperature; validate the let-down test at 40D before paying for 48D.

FAQ

How fast is a colour change?

2–4 hours for a full change on a split-barrel machine with purging compound. Customers running many small lots usually buy two smaller lines rather than one large one.

Water ring or strand for colour?

Water ring for high pigment and thin strands; strand for low-volume, high-value colours where pellet shape matters less than cleaning.

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.

Tell us your material — we will tell you the line

Send 25–50 kg and we run it on our lab extruder: pellets, running video and a capacity report back in 3–7 days.

Get a quote Send material for trial

Color masterbatch extruder line — the short version

Note on color masterbatch extruder 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.