In one embodiment, a method of forming an extruded board includes mixing a resin and a foaming agent, melting the mixed resin and foaming agent to form a uniformly colored extrudate, differentially expanding voids formed from the foaming agent within the uniformly colored extrudate by passing the uniformly colored extrudate through a breaker plate, forming a board with the differentially expanded voids and uniformly colored extrudate, and forming lightened portions on an outermost surface of the formed board.

A process and associated system for creating color effects in extrudable material, such as plastic and metal for example, are presented. Flows of first and second viscous materials of respective colors are provided and then combined in a predetermined pattern to form a stream of combined viscous material. In a first aspect, the flow rate of the first viscous material is caused to vary over time in order to vary an amount of the first viscous material in the stream. In a second aspect, which may be used alone or in combination with the first aspect, the first and second viscous materials have distinct viscosities to reduce an amount of color blending between the first color and the second color in the stream of combined viscous material. A static mixer may then be used to apply a predetermined dividing, overturning and combining motion to the stream of combined viscous material to partially mix the first viscous material and the second viscous material, such that upon exiting the static mixer, the first material of the first color and the second material of the second color form a color pattern in the stream of combined viscous material. Sheets of extrudable material may be created using such process and used in the manufacturing of many different products including for example kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.

Melt conductor (1), in particular melt distributor or melt mixer, for an extruding die (2) of an extrusion facility (3), having a melt conductor block (4) with a multi-channel system (5), the multi-channel system (5) being arranged so as to extend three-dimensionally inside the melt conductor block (4) and having at least one input (6) and at least one output (7) for polymer melt, between one input (6) and one output (7) fluidically connected to the input (6) several branchings (8) arranged in series and several levels (9a, 9b, 9c) of sub-branches (10) being formed over several levels (12a, 12b) of divided melt channels (11a, 11b), m melt channels (11a) of the a.sup.th level (12a) with x.sup.th local cross-sections and n melt channels (11b) of the b.sup.th level (12b) with y.sup.th local cross-sections being present, wherein n>m if b>a, the y.sup.th local cross-sections of the melt channels (11b) of the b.sup.th level (12b) being smaller than the x.sup.th local cross-sections of the melt channels (11a) of the a.sup.th level (12a),

and wherein in the area of the multi-channel system (5), means for at least indirectly influencing polymer melt are arranged.

The invention relates to a melt conductor (1), in particular a melt distributor or melt mixer, for an extruding die (2) of an extrusion facility (3), comprising two or more melt conductor blocks (4a, 4b) and a multi-channel system (5), the multi-channel system (5) being arranged inside at least one of the melt conductor blocks (4a, 4b) with three-dimensional extension and having at least one input (6) and at least one output (7) for polymer melt, between one input (6) and one output (7) fluidically connected to the input (6) several branchings (8) arranged in series and several levels (9a) of sub-branches (10) being formed over several levels (12a, 12b) of divided melt channels (11a, 11b); with m melt channels (11a) of the a.sup.th level (12a) with x.sup.th local cross-sections and n melt channels (11b) of the b.sup.th level (12b) with y.sup.th local cross-sections being present, wherein n>m if b>a, the y.sup.th local cross-sections of the melt channels (11b) of the b.sup.th level (12b) being smaller than the x.sup.th local cross-sections of the melt channels (11a) of the a.sup.th level (12a). The invention further relates to an extruding die, an extrusion facility and to a method of operating the extrusion facility.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) comprises: (1) splitting the PTT stream extruded from the primary extruder into a number of polymer streams, each of the plurality of polymer streams having an associated spinning machine; (2) adding a colorant to each split polymer stream; (3) adding PET to the extruded polymer stream downstream of the primary extruder; (4) using one or more static mixing assemblies for each split polymer stream to substantially uniformly mix each split polymer stream and its respective colorant and PET; and (5) spinning each polymer stream with its substantially uniformly mixed colorant and any additives into BCF using the respective spinning machine.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from a plurality of polymer flakes comprises: (1) providing an extruder; (2) melting and purifying the plurality of polymer flakes into a polymer stream using the extruder; (3) providing a static mixing assembly downstream of the extruder; (4) adding a first liquid colorant to a center of the polymer stream at a first location before the static mixing assembly or along a length of the static mixing assembly; (5) adding a second liquid colorant to the polymer stream at a second location before the static mixing assembly or along a length of the static mixing assembly; (6) using the static mixing assembly to mix the polymer stream with the first and second liquid colorant to create a colored polymer stream; and (7) forming the colored polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament.

A system and process for producing a homogenous extrudate powder coating composition having predetermined properties, the system comprising a color library database that is configured to store one or more input formulation data objects capable of use in controlling the inputs and operation of an electronically controlled homogenous extrudate mixer.

A process for producing particles of a thermoplastic polymer in spherical form involves providing at least one thermoplastic polymer in a molten state and providing an aqueous solution of at least one surface-active substance. The aqueous solution is in a temperature range from 100 to 300 C. The process also involves dispersing the thermoplastic polymer in the aqueous solution to obtain an aqueous solution containing dispersed thermoplastic polymer, which is cooled down to a temperature below the solidification point of the thermoplastic polymer to obtain a suspension containing an aqueous solution and particles of the thermoplastic polymer suspended in a solid state and in spherical form. The particles can be separated from the suspension and, optionally, dried. The particles obtained from the process have a particle size distribution having a d[4,3] value of more than 10 m and a d.sub.90.3 value of more than 20 m.

A process for producing particles of a thermoplastic polymer in spherical form involves providing at least one thermoplastic polymer in a molten state and providing an aqueous solution of at least one surface-active substance. The aqueous solution is in a temperature range from 100 to 300 C. The process also involves dispersing the thermoplastic polymer in the aqueous solution to obtain an aqueous solution containing dispersed thermoplastic polymer, which is cooled down to a temperature below the solidification point of the thermoplastic polymer to obtain a suspension containing an aqueous solution and particles of the thermoplastic polymer suspended in a solid state and in spherical form. The particles can be separated from the suspension and, optionally, dried. The particles obtained from the process have a particle size distribution having a d[4,3] value of more than 10 m and a d.sub.90.3 value of more than 20 m.

Acid-functionalized copolymers of methyl methacrylate having relatively high glass transition temperatures and molecular weights may be employed to manufacture articles having high light transmission values, low haze, high heat resistance, and high environmental stability, which are useful as optical protection films, zero-zero optical retardation films, and compensation films as well as lighting pipes and optical imaging lenses.