One of the advantages of barrier screws is that for the most part they eliminate the problems associated with solids-bed breakup that are typical in conventionally flighted screws. Many conventional screws have to rely on restrictive mixing sections to complete the melting process because solids conveyed into the metering section are difficult to melt.

Barrier screw barrels are designed to improve the melting efficiency of polymer processing by effectively separating solids and melt streams. Unlike conventional screw barrels, which often face issues with solids-bed breakup and require restrictive mixing sections, barrier screws use a specialized flight geometry to minimize these problems. This results in smoother melting, reduced mechanical stress, and better overall throughput. The design allows for controlled melting progression, ensuring higher quality melt with less degradation, making barrier screw barrels ideal for demanding extrusion and injection molding applications.