Apparatus and methods for converting granular plastic resin into colored finished or semi-finished plastic parts include a process machine having a barrel with a vertically opening feed throat, a rotatable screw inside the barrel, and a color feed conduit assembly positioned at least partially within the process machine and extending into the barrel for passage of liquid color downwardly through the color feed conduit assembly into proximity with the screw.

A polymer powder having a surface energy of less than 35 mN/m is suitable for melting/sintering powder particles for layer-by-layer production of three-dimensional objects.

Provided is a water absorption treatment material and a method for manufacturing the same, according to which a clump can be formed after use without incurring a decrease in water absorptivity. A water absorption treatment material includes a granular core portion and an embedded portion. A recessed portion is formed on the surface of the granular core portion. The embedded portion is provided in the recessed portion of the granular core portion. The embedded portion contains an adhesive material.

The embodiments of the present application provide a method for making continuous micro-irrigation tubing, the continuous micro-irrigation tubing so made, a method for performing irrigation using the said continuous micro-irrigation tubing, and the application of the said continuous micro-irrigation tubing in agricultural irrigation, wherein the method for making continuous micro-irrigation tubing comprises: preconditioning a filler; blending the preconditioned filler with high-pressure polyethylene resin at a predefined weight ratio and making said filler and resin into filler pellet; making preformed tubing from the filler pellet; and threading the preformed tubing into a high-temperature extractor in which continuous extraction is performed to make continuous micro-irrigation tubing. The method enables the making of continuous micro-irrigation tubing containing micro-pores on the tubing wall. After the continuous micro-irrigation tubing is filled with water, water exudes through the micro-pores.

A solid freeform fabrication material includes a water-soluble core material and a water-insoluble coating material formed on the surface of the water-soluble core material.

A method of making a molded article. The method includes introducing into a mold a composition including thermoplastic particles with hollow microspheres attached to their outer surfaces, rotating the mold, and heating the mold at a temperature at which the thermoplastic particles melt. The hollow microspheres are included in the molded article. Molded articles are also disclosed. A powder composition that includes thermoplastic powder particles and hollow ceramic microspheres attached to outer surfaces of at least some of the thermoplastic powder particles is also disclosed. The hollow ceramic microspheres are either adhered to the outer surfaces of at least some of the thermoplastic powder particles with a liquid or embedded in the outer surfaces of at least some of the thermoplastic powder particles.

A squeezing roller granulator that has a squeezing roller pair composed of a toothed pressure roller and a toothed squeezing roller. The teeth of the pressure roller and the squeezing roller have tooth flanks that are situated between a tooth root region and a tooth tip region. The tooth root region has an outer diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter of the tooth tip region, and the tooth tip region of at least one of the rollers of the squeezing roller pair has three squeezing zones including a middle squeezing zone, which define different distances between the tooth tip regions with a minimum distance in the region of the middle squeezing zone, and the contour of the tooth flanks and the tooth root region of the rollers of the squeezing roller pair defines a maximum cross-section of granulate cushions to be formed.

A method of producing a granulated product from photopolymer printing plate materials. The method includes the steps of (a) sorting the photopolymer printing plate materials based on an identifiable property, wherein the photopolymer printing plate materials comprise one or more photopolymer layers; (b) grinding the photopolymer printing plate materials to particles; and (c) screening the particles to remove particles above a certain size and create the granulated product.

A bone graft substitute which combines substantially the high mechanical stability of spherical porous granules without the limitation of reduced intergranular space. The granules have a high porosity whilst maintaining high stability, and can be pushed into a defect without risking significant breakage of the granules and, simultaneously, bone cells can grow into the space between the granules. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the surface of the granules comprises indentations, when viewed from the exterior of the granules. An indentation increases the porosity within the implanted mass significantly and thus provides more space between the granules for tissue ingrowth. Due to the indentations on the granules, the granules have an irregular shape and thus an increase in the intergranular space is achieved, while mechanical stability is maintained. A biocompatible polymer, such as a collagen or gelatin, is disposed about at least some of the granules to form a coating thereon.

An example starch-based material for forming a biodegradable component includes a mixture of a starch and an expansion additive. The starch has an amylose content of less than about 70% by weight. The expansion additive enhances the expansion and physical properties of the starch. A method of preparing a starch-based material is also disclosed and an alternate starch-based material for forming a biodegradable component is also disclosed.