The disclosure generally relates to filaments and in particular, filaments for use in fused filament fabrication to prepare 3D printed articles. The filaments comprising a polymer composition, said polymer composition comprising: a) about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of a thermoplastic polymer A having a melting peak temperature greater than 40° C.; b) about 95 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of a thermoplastic polymer B having a melting peak temperature greater than 20° C.; c) optionally from about 0.1 to 3 wt. % of a viscosity modifier; wherein: the melting peak temperature of thermoplastic polymer A is at least 20° C. greater than the melting peak temperature of thermoplastic polymer B; thermoplastic polymer A is dispersed in thermoplastic polymer B; and the polymer composition has a melt index of at least 0.1 g/10 minutes using a 10 kg weight measured according to ASTM D1238-13 at a temperature which is less than the melting peak temperature of thermoplastic polymer A and which is greater than the melting peak temperature of thermoplastic polymer B.

Provided is a resin sheet for thermoforming, the resin sheet containing a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin. A difference between a melting point peak temperature and a melting point peak end temperature in differential scanning calorimetry analysis of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin is 10° C. or more. The sheet has a thickness of 0.15 to 1 mm. The melt viscosity of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin at 160° C. is preferably 10000 poise or more.

Provided is a resin sheet for thermoforming, the resin sheet containing a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin. A difference between a melting point peak temperature and a melting point peak end temperature in differential scanning calorimetry analysis of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin is 10° C. or more. The sheet has a thickness of 0.15 to 1 mm. The melt viscosity of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin at 160° C. is preferably 10000 poise or more.

A method for manufacturing a composite preform is provided, including preparing a preform that is formed from a plastic material, preparing a tubular heat shrinkable plastic member that is longer than the preform and has a margin for thermocompression bonding at one end, inserting the preform into the plastic member having the plastic member undergo thermal shrinkage by heating the preform and the plastic member, and bonding the margin of the plastic member by thermocompression.

The invention relates to a device and a method for controlling the feed of polymer melt, which has been discharged from an extruder, to a plastics processing machine formed from at least two subunits (1, 2), to which the polymer melt discharged from the extruder is fed via a distributor (13) which is positioned downstream of the extruder and which serves for splitting up the polymer melt into partial streams corresponding to the number of subunits. According to the invention, the partial streams are each fed to a subunit by means of a gearwheel pump (11, 12). The volume flows fed to the subunits (1, 2), which are of substantially identical design, can be respectively separately controlled in open-loop or closed-loop fashion through control of the drive rotational speed of the respective gearwheel pump (11, 12) in a manner dependent on operating parameters and/or the configuration of the respective subunit (1, 2).

The invention relates to a device and a method for controlling the feed of polymer melt, which has been discharged from an extruder, to a plastics processing machine formed from at least two subunits (1, 2), to which the polymer melt discharged from the extruder is fed via a distributor (13) which is positioned downstream of the extruder and which serves for splitting up the polymer melt into partial streams corresponding to the number of subunits. According to the invention, the partial streams are each fed to a subunit by means of a gearwheel pump (11, 12). The volume flows fed to the subunits (1, 2), which are of substantially identical design, can be respectively separately controlled in open-loop or closed-loop fashion through control of the drive rotational speed of the respective gearwheel pump (11, 12) in a manner dependent on operating parameters and/or the configuration of the respective subunit (1, 2).

A pressurizing pre-impregnating die head for a fiber reinforced plastic sheet machine is provided. The die head includes a body; at least one group of fiber channels arranged in a longitudinal hole-through manner in a middle of the body, and a fiber yarn conveyed in the fiber channel. The body includes a feeding port and discharging ports, which communicate with each other. The discharging ports are located in outer sides of the fiber channel. Thermoplastic base materials in a molten state are paved on two sides of the fiber yarn. The thermoplastic base materials may be paved on surfaces of the two sides of the fiber yarn when being extruded.

A pressurizing pre-impregnating die head for a fiber reinforced plastic sheet machine is provided. The die head includes a body; at least one group of fiber channels arranged in a longitudinal hole-through manner in a middle of the body, and a fiber yarn conveyed in the fiber channel. The body includes a feeding port and discharging ports, which communicate with each other. The discharging ports are located in outer sides of the fiber channel. Thermoplastic base materials in a molten state are paved on two sides of the fiber yarn. The thermoplastic base materials may be paved on surfaces of the two sides of the fiber yarn when being extruded.

A method for starting up a production line for manufacturing extruded plates, wherein an extruded semi-finished product comprising a free end is pressed towards a conveying device, wherein the conveying device is configured to pull the semi-finished product to a separating device, wherein a conveyor belt extending in the conveying direction is placed on the conveying device, the free end of the semi-finished product is pressed onto the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt is pulled together with the semi-finished product towards the separating device, and the free end of the semi-finished product arriving at the separating device is introduced into the separating device, while the conveyor belt is pulled away from the semi-finished product upstream of the separating device. This enables a cost-effective production of panels made from the plates.

A method for starting up a production line for manufacturing extruded plates, wherein an extruded semi-finished product comprising a free end is pressed towards a conveying device, wherein the conveying device is configured to pull the semi-finished product to a separating device, wherein a conveyor belt extending in the conveying direction is placed on the conveying device, the free end of the semi-finished product is pressed onto the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt is pulled together with the semi-finished product towards the separating device, and the free end of the semi-finished product arriving at the separating device is introduced into the separating device, while the conveyor belt is pulled away from the semi-finished product upstream of the separating device. This enables a cost-effective production of panels made from the plates.