Roller die preformer for wide extrusions and method of extruding

摘要

A roller die preformer (16) for use in an extrusion system (10) to form wide extruded components, such as a rubber tire tread, on a surface (22) of a roller (18). The roller die preformer (16) includes a flow inlet (28), a flow outlet (32) and a laterally expanding flow channel (30) extending from the flow inlet to the flow outlet. A flow restrictor (48) is configured within the flow channel (30) to urge the flow of material toward the lateral extremities of the flow channel to thereby form an extruded component (20) at the flow outlet (32) having a lateral width which is greater than the lateral width of the flow inlet (28) of the preformer (16). <IMAGE>