A method for producing a thermal product with a consistent and designable thermal property is disclosed. The method comprises producing from a municipal waste a cellulose-based material stockpile and a plastic-based material stockpile; automatically measuring at least one physical property of the cellulose-based material stockpile and at least one physical property of the plastic-based material stockpile; based on the measurements of the at least one physical property the cellulose-based material stockpile and the measurements of the at least one physical property of the plastic-based material stockpile, automatically controlling mixing the cellulose-based material stockpile and the plastic-based material stockpile to form a mixture by adjusting a ratio of the cellulose-based material stockpile to the plastic-based material stockpile; and automatically heating and compressing the mixture to form the thermal product.

The invention relates an extrusion device (100) for extruding a semi¬finished product made of elastomeric material, comprising an extrusion body (10) extending along a feeding direction (A) and a pump (20) arranged downstream of the extrusion body (10) along said feeding direction (A). The extrusion body (10) comprises a hopper (30) for loading an elastomeric material and an extrusion screw (50) extending along said feeding direction (A) and having an inlet portion (50a) arranged close to the hopper (30) and an exit portion (50b) arranged close to the pump (20). The extrusion body (10) also comprises a motorised roller (40) arranged at the inlet portion (50a) of the extrusion screw (50) and configured to receive the elastomeric material from the hopper (30) and feed it to the extrusion screw (30). The extrusion screw (50) has a length and a diameter such that the ratio between length and diameter is comprised between 4 mm and 8 mm. The invention also relates to an extrusion process carried out through the aforementioned extrusion device (100).

A composite material (101) is produced by obtaining a plurality of agglomerates (102), introducing the plurality of agglomerates into a liquid carrier including a component capable of solidifying to produce a solidified polymeric material and mixing the plurality of the agglomerates into the liquid carrier (103) to produce a composite material. Each agglomerate is pre-formed by obtaining a plurality of electrically conductive or semi-conductive particles, mixing the plurality of electrically conductive or semi-conductive particles (201) in a granulation vessel. The mixing step includes operating the granulation vessel (202) at a Froude number of between 220 and 1100 and adhering the plurality of electrically conductive or semi-conductive particles by adding a granulation binder to a plurality of agglomerates.

Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for converting a sheet into a continuous strip, wherein the sheet has a sequence of cuts extending in a cutting direction transversely across the sheet with respect to the longitudinal direction to form a plurality of interconnected sheet sections, wherein the continuous strip has zig-zag sections, wherein the sheet sections are arranged to be pulled apart in a feeding direction to form the zig-zag sections, wherein the apparatus includes a separator device with a retaining device for retaining an upstream sheet section with respect to a consecutive downstream sheet section in the feeding direction and a sensor device for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section.

It is described an apparatus for the extrusion and mixing of plastic materials, for example rubber-based and silicone-based materials, comprising a dump extruder body whereon two conical screws (2) converging towards an extrusion die (3) suitable for being occluded by closing means (4) are mounted, the conical screws (2) being accommodated within a low-pressure compounding chamber (1) and within a pair of converging conical channels also defining a high-pressure chamber (2′), said low-pressure chamber (1) corresponding to an upstream area with respect to an extrusion direction, wherein said high-pressure chamber (2′) and/or said low-pressure chamber (1) accommodate a presser body (5, 5′, 6), defining a movable wall suitable for causing a controlled change in the volume of the respective chamber (1, 2′).

According to some aspects, a mixer for detection and/or removal of material in an undesired location of an additive fabrication device is provided. For instance, in an inverse stereolithography device, liquid photopolymer may adhere and cure or partially cure to a surface of the additive fabrication device in a location that may interfere with the additive fabrication process and/or cause the additive fabrication process to be unsuccessful. The mixer may be coupled to a movable structure within the additive fabrication device so that the mixer, when coupled to the movable structure, may be moved along at least one axis within the additive fabrication device. The mixer may be configured to detect and/or remove undesired material from a surface within the additive fabrication device.

A method, apparatus, and system for mixing a compounded material. A first selected amount of a base part for the compounded material and a second selected amount of an activator part for the compounded material to form a total amount of the compounded material is determined. The first selected amount of the base part is pumped by a pump system from a set of base part sources connected to the pump system into a container. The second selected amount of the activator part is pumped by the pump system from a set of activator part sources connected to the pump system into a container. The base part and the activator part in the container are mixed by a mixing system for a predetermined amount of time that is sufficient to activate the compounded material for use.

A mixing device for mixing a liquid plastics component with a gas, includes a liquid feed, a gas feed, and a discharge opening for discharging the mixture generated in the mixing device. Each of the liquid feed, gas feed, and discharge opening is connected to a mixing chamber in which a rotatable agitator device is arranged. A shaft for driving the agitator device projects out of the mixing chamber, and the mixing chamber is sealed off, in the region of the shaft, by a seal. On that side of the seal which is averted from the mixing chamber, there is a reservoir which is connected to the liquid feed and which is connected by a passage to the mixing chamber.

The invention relates an extrusion device (100) for extruding a semi-finished product made of elastomeric material, comprising an extrusion body (10) extending along a feeding direction (A) and a pump (20) arranged downstream of the extrusion body (10) along said feeding direction (A). The extrusion body (10) comprises a hopper (30) for loading an elastomeric material and an extrusion screw (50) extending along said feeding direction (A) and having an inlet portion (50a) arranged close to the hopper (30) and an exit portion (50b) arranged close to the pump (20). The extrusion body (10) also comprises a motorised roller (40) arranged at the inlet portion (50a) of the extrusion screw (50) and configured to receive the elastomeric material from the hopper (30) and feed it to the extrusion screw (30). The extrusion screw (50) has a length and a diameter such that the ratio between length and diameter is comprised between 4 mm and 8 mm. The invention also relates to an extrusion process carried out through the aforementioned extrusion device (100).

Embodiments of the present disclosure involve methods, devices, and systems for hydrating polymers using multiple mixing chambers. Adjacent mixing chambers may be coupled using an under-over baffle, and each mixing chamber may be generally rectangular with rounded corners.