A method for manufacturing pellets from polymer, comprising: (1) melting polymer flakes in a first section of a melt processing unit to create a first single stream of polymer melt; (2) separating the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt by means of a separation element; (3) passing the multiple streams through a multiple stream section of said melt processing unit and exposing the multiple streams to a pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit as the multiple streams pass through the multiple stream section; (4) recombining the multiple streams into at least one combined stream of polymer melt; and (5) cooling the polymer melt and forming said pellets from the at least one combined stream. The intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream may be determined and, in response, the chamber pressure within the multiple stream section adjusted.

In particular embodiments, a process for producing bulked continuous carpet filament from recycled polymer utilizes two vacuum pumps in combination with a single extruder. In various embodiments, the dual vacuum arrangement (e.g., at least two vacuum pumps) operably coupled to the single extruder (e.g., MRS extruder) may be configured remove one or more impurities from recycled polymer as the recycled polymer passes through the extruder such that the process: (1) is more effective than earlier processes in removing contaminates and water from the recycled polymer; (2) allows for an increased throughput through a single extruder, which may result in a doubling of a number of thread lines produced from a single extruder; (3) results in a desired intrinsic viscosity for the extruded recycled polymer at the increased throughput; and/or (4) reduces an amount of downtime of a particular production line as a result of cleaning the two vacuum pumps.

Provided is a method of polymer molding of cables and connections, such as undersea cables and connections using additive manufacturing. Design requirements for cables/connections, including form, fit, and function data is provided. The requirements are used to produce a three-dimensional model of a mold, which is converted into a file format that allows for three-dimensional printing and computer-aided manufacturing. A mold is printed utilizing a UV cured resin on a high resolution three-dimensional printer. The mold is then checked to ensure it meets form, fit, and function data. Finally, an cable/connection is molded by mixing polyurethane, injecting it into the mold, and baking. The disclosed method provides significant time and cost savings when compared to prior art steel and aluminum mold manufacturing.

The disclosure discloses a bionic digestive tract as well as a preparation method and application thereof, belonging to the field of bionic technologies and the field of biological technologies. The bionic digestive tract of the disclosure is prepared by mixing a base material (one or more of silica gel, latex and hydrogel) and auxiliary materials (silicone oil and a curing agent) in a certain mass ratio (the mass ratio of the base material to the silicone oil to the curing agent is 100:(0.5 to 10):(0.5 to 3.5)). The simulation performance of the bionic digestive tract is excellent, has strong consistency with a true human digestive tract in terms of performance, structure and function, can simulate the true states of food, drugs and microorganisms in a digestive system, and has great application prospects in the research process of food and drugs.

A method of recycling a PET-containing material comprises: (1) providing a polymer crystallizer comprising at least one heating element, and at least one blower; (2) providing an MRS extruder having an MRS section comprising a plurality of satellite screws; (3) providing a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the MRS section; (4) grinding and washing the PET-containing material; (5) heating the PET-containing material in the crystallizer to at least partially dry the PET-containing material; (6) shearing the PET-containing material in the MRS extruder to produce a PET-containing melt; (7) increasing a surface area of the PET-containing melt by distributing the PET-containing melt across a plurality of satellite screws in the MRS extruder; (8) drawing off vapors from the PET-containing melt by reducing the pressure in the MRS section with the vacuum pump; (9) collating the PET-containing melt in the MRS extruder; and (10) extruding a recycled PET-containing material.

A method of recycling a PET-containing material comprises: (1) providing an MRS extruder having an MRS section comprising a plurality of satellite screws and an outlet; (2) providing a vacuum pump in communication with the MRS section; (3) providing a spinning machine comprising an inlet, wherein the inlet is directly coupled to the outlet of the MRS extruder; (4) heating a plurality of PET-containing flakes in the MRS extruder to form a PET-containing melt; (5) increasing a surface area of the PET-containing melt by distributing the PET-containing melt across the plurality of satellite screws in the MRS extruder; (6) drawing off vapors from the PET-containing melt by reducing the pressure in the MRS section with the vacuum pump; (7) collating the PET-containing melt in the MRS extruder; and (8) extruding the PET-containing melt through the outlet of the MRS extruder into the inlet of the spinning machine.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) passing the group of flakes through an expanded surface area extruder while maintaining a pressure within the expanded surface area extruder below about 25 millibars; (E) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (F) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) passing the flakes through a PET crystallizer; (E) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion of the MRS extruder below about 18 millibars; (F) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (G) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) adding one or more color concentrates to the flakes; (E) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion of the MRS extruder below about 25 millibars; (F) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (G) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

In a cost-effective and qualitatively better method for producing spacers for a winding unit of an electrical high-voltage device, at least two starting components are mixed together in a mixing chamber under vacuum to form a component mixture. The component mixture is transferred to an extrusion housing, likewise under vacuum, of an extruder in which a transport device is arranged and which is equipped with a mouthpiece delimiting an outlet opening. The extrudate exiting from the mouthpiece is cured by the addition of heat in a vacuum in order to obtain the spacers.