A long fiber extrusion apparatus applies a polymer melt to a length of fiber using a die and an extruder where the length of fiber is directed to the die through a glass tube. The transparency of the glass tube enables viewing of the fiber as it is directed through the glass tube to monitor for any difficulties or problems encountered by the fiber passing through the glass tube. The glass interior surface of the glass tube reduces friction between the fiber and the glass surface and thereby reduces abrasion of the fiber and dust produced from abrasion of the fiber inside the glass tube.

A method of forming an electrode for an electrochemical device includes mixing at least a first amount of a catalyst and a second amount of an ionomer or an uncharged polymer to form a liquid mixture; delivering the liquid mixture into a metallic needle having a needle tip; applying a voltage between the needle tip and a collector substrate positioned at a distance from the needle tip; and extruding the liquid mixture from the needle tip at a flow rate such as to generate electrospun fibers and deposit the generated fibers on the collector substrate to form a mat comprising a porous network of fibers, where each fiber has a plurality of particles of the catalyst distributed thereon.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a 3D printer head of ejecting a multi-molding melt by receiving a molding filament and molding pellets, the 3D printer head including: a filament supply unit supplying the molding filament; a pellet supply unit supplying the molding pellets; a nozzle pipe in which a penetration portion is provided therein in a longitudinal direction, the molding pellets are supplied from the pellet supply unit, and the molding pellets move; a rotary screw which is disposed in the penetration portion of the nozzle pipe, advances the molding pellets to one end of the nozzle pipe 32 by rotation, and has a filament supply path through which the molding filament is supplied, which is formed therein in a longitudinal direction; a heating portion which melts the molding pellets and the molding filament by heating the nozzle pipe to form the multi-molding melt; and a nozzle tip which is connected to one end of the nozzle pipe and ejects the molding melt.

In an embodiment, a method of dewatering a wet polymer composition comprises introducing the wet polymer composition via a polymer feed location to a powder conveying section of an extruder; wherein the wet polymer composition comprises greater than or equal to 1 wt % of water based on the total weight of the wet polymer composition; venting the water through a conveying section vent to form a dry polymer composition; melt kneading the dry polymer composition in a melt kneading section of the extruder to form a polymer melt; conveying the polymer melt in a melt conveying section of the extruder; and adding an additive in one or both of the powder conveying section and the melt conveying section.

An apparatus includes a heater for converting a filament of extrusion material into thermoplastic material. The heater has a channel configured to change the cross-sectional shape of the filament to a cross-sectional shape that has a greater surface area than the surface area of the filament before the heater receives the filament. The channel of the heater can also be configured to drive the center portion of the filament toward the heated walls of the channel and to mix thermoplastic material in the channel while exposing the center portion of the filament to the heated wall of the channel.

The method of filling a weighing container (10) for plastics granulate (12), wherein the granulate is dropped from a supply tube (26) into the weighing container (10) via a shutter (22), wherein the weighing container (10) is closed-off on the top side by a wall having a conical part (16) that reaches directly up the shutter (22), and in that the weighing container is filled with granulate up to the level of the shutter (22).

A device for imparting vibrational energy to polymeric pellets in a feed path of an extruder is disclosed. The device includes a feed path vibrator having an elongate imparting portion for being disposed within the feed path of the extruder, and a transfer portion extending from the imparting portion. The transfer portion is configured for coupling to a source of vibration energy, and the elongate imparting portion includes at least one twisted portion along its length.

A vacuum pump with a first flow limiter connected to the suction head of the vacuum pump for conveying granular resin material from a supply to receivers retaining and dispensing the resin when needed by a process machine and a second flow limiter controlling and limiting to a maximum value vacuum flow through a conduit carrying auxiliary additives to the receivers.

Method and apparatus for pneumatically conveying granular resin material and controlling such conveyance includes a sensor associated with granular plastic resin material receiver with the sensing vacuum level thereat and a microprocessor adjusting vacuum pump speed based on vacuum level sensed at the receiver.

Apparatus has a vacuum pump for conveying granular plastic resin material from a supply to receivers retaining and dispensing the resin when needed by a process machine with a flow limiter connected to the suction head of the vacuum pump, and a second flow limiter controlling and limiting to a maximum value vacuum flow through a conduit carrying auxiliary additives to the receivers.