Machine · Lab & pilot twin screw
Lab & Pilot Twin Screw Extruder (KTE-16 / 20 / 25D / 36B)
Every export order we win starts here: 25–50 kg of your material, a KTE-20B or KTE-36B, and a capacity report back in three to seven days. The lab line exists so that production lines are quoted on measurement, not on assumption. A reference pilot twin screw extruder page from Kerke.
Lab & pilot twin screw — workshop photo 1, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
Lab & pilot twin screw — workshop photo 2, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
Lab & pilot twin screw — workshop photo 3, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
Lab & pilot twin screw — workshop photo 4, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
Lab & pilot twin screw — workshop photo 5, Kerke workshop, Nanjing
Lab & pilot twin screw — workshop photo 6, Kerke workshop, NanjingQuick answer
Lab and pilot twin screw extruders from KTE-16 (15.6 mm) to KTE-36B (35.6 mm) cover 1–150 kg/h. They are used for formulation development, customer material trials, and small-batch production of masterbatch and compounds. Universities and R&D centres in several countries run these machines.
Workshop photos and a running video — shot on our own lines, not stock images.
Parameter table
| Model | Screw dia. (mm) | Speed (rpm) | Motor (kW) | Torque (N·m) | Output (kg/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KTE-16 | 15.6 | 500 | 2.2 | 2×18 | 1–5 |
| KTE-20B | 21.7 | 500 | 4 | 2×30 | 2–15 |
| KTE-25D | 26 | 500 | 7.5–11 | 2×85 | 5–20 |
| KTE-36 | 35.6 | 500 | 15–18.5 | 2×176 | 20–60 |
| KTE-36B | 35.6 | 500–600 | 18.5–22 | 2×210 | 20–100 |
| KTE-36D | 35.6 | 500–600 | 22–37 | 2×352 | 20–150 |
Reference output measured on the stated material family; subject to a material trial. Motor and torque values are per machine, not per screw shaft.
What a lab line is actually for
Almost every export order we win starts on one of these machines. The customer sends 25–50 kg of material, we run it on KTE-20B or KTE-36B, and return pellets plus a capacity report in 3–7 days. That is also how we avoid quoting a production line on assumptions.
Typical configurations
- KTE-16 — smallest screw, 1–5 kg/h: universities, additive screening, expensive formulations.
- KTE-20B — 2–15 kg/h: the standard trial machine; strand or water-ring pelletizing.
- KTE-25D — 5–20 kg/h high torque: engineering plastics and glass fibre at lab scale.
- KTE-36B / 36D — 20–150 kg/h: pilot production, small masterbatch batches sold commercially.
What is included
Main machine, feeder, die and pelletizer (strand or water ring), control cabinet, spare parts kit and English manual. A complete skid can be shipped in one 20 ft container.
What this machine is normally bought for
Filler Masterbatch Extruder Line
Filler masterbatch is sold by the tonne, so the line is judged on two numbers only: how much powder it can swallow, an…
Color Masterbatch Extruder Line
Colour masterbatch is a dispersion business with a cleaning problem attached: the same line has to make 20% pigment di…
Engineering Plastics Compounding Line
Engineering plastics punish shortcuts in two places: drying (PA and PC want 120 °C for four hours, not 80 °C overnight…
FAQ
Can a lab extruder produce pellets I can sell?
Yes, on KTE-36B and 36D at 20–150 kg/h. Several customers run pilot batches for market qualification on these machines before ordering a production line.
What comes with a lab line?
Main machine, gravimetric feeder, die and pelletizer (strand or water ring), control cabinet, spare parts kit and English manual. A complete skid fits in one 20 ft container.
Is a material trial charged?
The trial itself is free; the customer covers freight of 25–50 kg of material. We return pellets, a running video and a capacity report with the parameters we used.
Where these numbers come from
Screw diameters, speeds, motor ratings, torque and reference output come from the Kerke parameter table and the product master data sheet, and are cross-checked against commissioning records. Where a catalogue value and a trial value disagree, the trial value is the one we quote.
Reviewed by the Kerke process team, Nanjing. Page updated 6 November 2026.
Send 25–50 kg — we return pellets, a video and a report with the parameters we used, in 3–7 days.
Pilot twin screw extruder — the short version
Note on pilot twin screw extruder: what separates one machine from another is torque class, L/D and the wear package matched to your material, not the build standard. Shortlist from the tables, then confirm the choice on a trial with your own powder.
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 pilot twin screw extruder: the data on this page was last verified on our own test line in Nanjing.
Not sure which pilot twin screw extruder configuration fits? Describe the material and the pellet shape required — we answer with a recommendation, not a brochure.
A pilot twin screw extruder from Kerke ships with CE documentation, a test-run record and a recommended spare set.
Related on this site: Extrusion lines by application · Extruder selection guide · free extrusion line quotation · Wikipedia: Twin-screw extruder