A system and method for producing artificial turf filaments according to one example embodiment includes an artificial turf filament, a first air drawn oven for heating the filament, a roll stand for applying an aqueous liquid to the filament and a second air drawn oven for heating the filament. In multiple embodiments, the filament has a latent helix shape when exposed to manufacturing or ambient heat.

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for automatic extrudate loading and alignment. An extrudate handling system includes a head end assembly and an imaging device (which may be part of the head end assembly). The imaging device is configured to image an end face of an extrudate, and generate, during translation of the extrudate, an imaging output signal indicative of a rotational position of the end face of the extrudate. The head end assembly includes a rotational effector to rotate the extrudate during translation thereof and a fixed effector rotationally fixed relative to a track. The extrudate handling system is able to determine the rotational position of the web angle of the extrudate and precisely adjust the rotational position while linearly translating the extrudate along the track. The extrudate handling system provides greater accuracy, reduced costs, and improved results.

A method of preparing a polymer film having an oriented dispersed material includes casting a multi-layer polymer solution having a first polymer solution layer and a second polymer solution layer where the second polymer solution layer is at least partially immiscible with the first polymer solution layer. The method further includes passing the multi-layer polymer solution through an electric field application zone, to thereby induce orientation of the dispersed material. A multi-layer polymer film can then be formed by drying the solvent from the multi-layer polymer solution. An apparatus for preparing polymer films includes a top electrode made from a flexible metal mesh coated with a non-stick, non-conductive coating.

A film structure having a matte film surface and method of manufacture thereof. The preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates a blend of polyethylene homopolymer or copolymer resins, coupled with one or more platelet shaped (non-spherical) inorganic or organic fillers. The matte polyethylene film surface as prepared from these polymer/filler blends exhibits a low gloss matte surface for wide utility in laminated and non-laminated, food and non-food, packaging and non-packaging applications. A unique and heretofore uncontemplated technique of manufacture exploiting the phenomenon of die swell as enumerated herein is utilized during production to facilitate the reorientation of the fillers during the extrusion process to produce the matte surface effect.

A method and apparatus for producing a composite part are provided to enable composite parts to be assembled with precise control over the orientation and spatial distribution of reinforcing or other particles within a matrix material. The method and apparatus use magnetic fields applied during various additive manufacturing processes to achieve complex particles orientations within each layer of the part. The composite parts can achieve enhanced properties, including mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties.

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for making thermoplastic resin materials and composite resin systems and materials made from the thermoplastic resins, by seeding one melted thermoplastic material with a second thermoplastic material in a crystalline state that comprises an amount of ferromagnetic material.

A centralizer can be produced from a process comprising forming a plurality of composite bow spring from a fiber and a resin, curing the composite bow springs in a desired shape to form a plurality of cured bow springs, disposing a first portion of a resin-wetted fiber about a cylindrical mandrel to form a plurality of collars, disposing the plurality of cured bow springs onto the mandrel with the bow spring ends in contact with the first portion of resin-wetted fiber, disposing a second portion of the resin-wetted fiber about the cylindrical mandrel, curing the collars to form a cured centralizer, and pressing the mandrel out of the cured centralizer.

Article comprising a polymeric substrate having a first major surface comprising a plurality of particles attached thereto with plasmonic material on the particles. Articles described herein are useful, for example, for indicating the presence, or even the quantity, of an analyte.

A magnetic sheet comprises, by vol. %, FeSiAl alloy flat powder: 36% or more. The FeSiAl alloy flat powder comprises, by wt %, 9.3%Si9.7%, 5.7%Al6.1%, and remaining Fe. The FeSiAl alloy flat powder has: an aspect ratio in a range of 20 or more and 50 or less; a 50% particle size D.sub.50 in a range of 50 m or more and 100 m or less; and a coercivity Hc of 60 A/m or less. The magnetic sheet has a temperature characteristic of permeability measured at 1 MHz exhibiting a maximum value in a range of 0 C. or more and 40 C. or less.

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for automatic extrudate loading and alignment. An extrudate handling system includes a head end assembly and an imaging device (which may be part of the head end assembly). The imaging device is configured to image an end face of an extrudate, and generate, during translation of the extrudate, an imaging output signal indicative of a rotational position of the end face of the extrudate. The head end assembly includes a rotational effector to rotate the extrudate during translation thereof and a fixed effector rotationally fixed relative to a track. The extrudate handling system is able to determine the rotational position of the web angle of the extrudate and precisely adjust the rotational position while linearly translating the extrudate along the track. The extrudate handling system provides greater accuracy, reduced costs, and improved results.