A method of making a mesh cushion. The method includes extruding a material through a plurality of filament forming openings in at least one die plate to form a plurality of filaments. The filaments may be at least partially submerged into a fluid to cool and harden the filaments into the mesh cushion.

A fastener assembly includes a molded plastic fastener shaped to define a filament, a paddle at one end of the filament, and a cross-bar at the other end of the filament. The fastener assembly additionally includes a printed label embedded in the paddle, the printed label including an electrically chargeable, stiffness enhancing laminate that is applied to a print receptive polymer substrate. An in-line system for manufacturing a continuously connected supply of the fastener assemblies includes a rotatable mold wheel, a feed mechanism for advancing a continuous, ionized, printed polymer web in a near tangential relationship relative to the mold wheel periphery, a cutting mechanism for transversely cutting through the web to form a plurality of rectangular printed labels that are magnetically drawn into corresponding cavities in the mold wheel, an extruder for applying molten plastic into the cavities and a knife for skiving excess hardened plastic from the mold wheel periphery.

The present invention relates to pellets of a flame retardant long glass fibre reinforced polypropylene composition having a core containing glass fibres and a sheath of a polypropylene compound comprising a flame retardant composition and surrounding said core, wherein the flame retardant composition comprises a mixture of an organic phosphate compound, an organic phosphoric acid compound and zinc oxide. The invention further relates to flame retardant moulding compositions and articles manufactured using the pellets or the moulding compositions.

A method for producing a waterproof and ion-conducting flexible membrane intended for protecting a metal electrode. It comprises a synthesis by electrically assisted extrusion of compact fibers forming an ion-conducting fiber array comprising a first material. The fiber array defines a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. Subsequently, the fiber array is impregnated with a polymer of a second material, to form a metal electrode protection membrane. The fiber array forms paths for conducting ions between the first surface and the second surface and through the second material. The first surface is intended to be in contact with the metal electrode.

Solid state draw a laminated polymer billet containing two or more polymer compositions laminated to one another to prepare an oriented polymer composition.

An apparel textile yarn includes a polyamide. The polyamide includes a nylon and a polyetheramine. The polyetheramine has a molecular weight of at least 1500 and an Amine Hydrogen Equivalent Weight (AHEW) of less than 10 percent higher than the idealized AHEW for the polyetheramine. The polyamide may have a moisture regain ranging from about 10% to about 30%.

Parts made by additive manufacturing are often structural in nature, rather than having functional properties conveyed by a polymer or other component present therein. Printed parts having piezoelectric properties may be formed using compositions comprising a plurality of piezoelectric particles dispersed in at least a portion of a polymer matrix comprising first polymer material and a sacrificial material, the sacrificial material being removable from the polymer matrix to define a plurality of pores in the polymer matrix. The piezoelectric particles may remain substantially non-agglomerated when combined with the polymer matrix. The sacrificial material may comprise a second polymer material. The compositions may define a composite having a form factor such as a composite filament, a composite pellet, a composite powder, or a composite paste. Additive manufacturing processes may comprise forming a printed part by depositing the compositions layer-by-layer and introducing porosity therein.

Parts made by additive manufacturing are often structural in nature, rather than having functional properties conveyed by a polymer or other component present therein. Printed parts having piezoelectric properties may be formed using compositions comprising a plurality of piezoelectric particles dispersed in at least a portion of a polymer matrix comprising first polymer material and a sacrificial material, the sacrificial material being removable from the polymer matrix to define a plurality of pores in the polymer matrix. The piezoelectric particles may remain substantially non-agglomerated when combined with the polymer matrix. The sacrificial material may comprise a second polymer material. The compositions may define a composite having a form factor such as a composite filament, a composite pellet, a composite powder, or a composite paste. Additive manufacturing processes may comprise forming a printed part by depositing the compositions layer-by-layer and introducing porosity therein.

A method for control of a plastic filament extruder includes the steps of providing a plastic filament extruder; introducing a quantity of plastic chips to the extruder; activating a heater to heat a mold body of the extruder to a target temperature; activating an electric motor in response to the mold body reaching the target temperature, thereby causing an auger to drive plastic chips the mold body and out of an extrudate sizing die; monitoring the electric current draw of the electric motor; and upwardly adjusting the target temperature of the mold body in response to a threshold increase in the electric current draw of the electric motor. Steps may also include maintaining the mold body within a temperature range about the target temperature and of deactivating the electric motor in response to the target temperature exceeding a threshold deviation above the temperature of the mold body.

Method for transporting pellets of a glass fibre reinforced thermoplastic polymer composition from a loading position to an unloading position, said pellets comprising a core and a thermoplastic polymer sheath surrounding said core, wherein the core comprises glass fibres extending in a longitudinal direction of the pellets and an impregnating agent, the method comprising loading pellets onto a non-vibrating belt conveyor at said loading position, conveying the pellets by means of said non-vibrating belt convey—or to said unloading position and unloading the pellets from said non-vibrating belt conveyor at said unloading position. Further methods are claimed as regards a process for manufacturing pellets of a glass fibre reinforced thermoplastic polymer composition and a process for the manufacture at a moulding position of a moulded product from pellets of a glass fibre reinforced thermoplastic polymer composition.