An apparatus includes:

a co-extrusion device for extruding a multi-layer structure having at least one primary layer and at least one secondary layer, so that the multi-layer structure leaves the co-extrusion device along an exit direction,

a mould provided with a pair of elements, at least one of the elements being movable towards the other in a moulding direction, so as to compression mould an object from a multi-layer dose which was severed from the multi-layer structure;

a transport device for carrying the dose towards the mould;

an arrangement for modifying orientation of the dose while the dose is being transported by the transport device, so that the dose is introduced into the mould with an orientation in which the secondary layer extends transversely to the moulding direction.

Disclosed is a device for distributing thermoplastic material to a preform molding machine, the preforms being used for manufacturing containers; the device includes at least a stationary part and a movable part, a seal that has a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface which are axially separated from each other by a gap inside which some of the thermoplastic material flows, a channel for radially constraining the thermoplastic material, and an associated cooler for radially obtaining a temperature gradient in order to increase the viscosity of the thermoplastic material located between the sealing surfaces.

An apparatus for producing plastic containers includes: a forming machine for producing plastic preforms; a blow-molding machine for blowing the preforms to obtain containers, provided with a blow-molding carousel having a plurality of blow-molding molds that expand the preforms to obtain the containers; a thermal conditioning station interposed between the forming machine and the blow-molding machine; a storage station, configured for receiving and containing preforms; a supplying system for feeding the thermal conditioning station with preforms contained in the storage station.

A molding apparatus includes a movable molding surface with molding cavities, a pressure shoe with a stationary outer surface that defines in cooperation with the molding surface a pressure zone, and a resin source configured to introduce molten resin into the pressure zone to be forced into the molding cavities by pressure in the pressure zone. The molding surface is movable with respect to the pressure shoe to introduce molding cavities to the pressure zone to be filled with resin while the outer surface of the pressure shoe and the molding surface define in between an entrance gap of decreasing width upstream of the pressure zone. The outer surface of the pressure shoe is spaced from the molding surface in the pressure zone to define a minimum gap at which the outer surface of the pressure shoe has a slope parallel to the molding surface. The pressure shoe is adapted to be held in a flexed condition against resin in the pressure zone while forcing resin into the cavities, with the outer surface of the pressure shoe curved upstream of the pressure zone.

A system for manufacturing a panel includes a support frame, a first caul plate arranged atop the support frame, a second caul plate arranged atop the first caul plate, and a heating assembly having a housing defining an inlet and an outlet. The housing includes one or more heaters. The heater(s) is configured to generate heat and the housing is configured to generate a first pressurized gas film. Thus, one or more layers of material to be consolidated may be placed between the first and second caul plates and drawn through the heating assembly as the heating assembly applies pressure to the one or more layers of material to be consolidated via the first pressurized gas film in combination with applying the heat via the one or more heaters, thereby consolidating the panel.

There is provided a resin-sealing apparatus that supplies an appropriate amount of sheet-shaped resin for each workpiece, thereby improving the molding quality of a molded product without production of resin dust, such that no redundant resin is produced on a molded product. The resin-sealing apparatus includes a resin supply part that supplies a sheet-shaped resin by cutting out an amount of sheet-shaped resin appropriate for one-time compression molding from a long resin sheet formed to have a predetermined width and a predetermined thickness depending on an amount of resin required for each workpiece, and a transport part that transports the appropriate amount of sheet-shaped resin supplied by the resin supply part to a sealing mold.

An apparatus that includes a dispensing device for dispensing doses of polymeric material suitable for compression moulding; a mould for receiving doses and making concave objects; a plurality of transport elements of respective doses for releasing doses to the mould; and a carousel for supporting the transport elements for feeding each element in an advancement direction (A) and along a closed path between the dispensing device and the mould. The transport element includes a wall for engaging the dose rotatably mounted on the carousel between a picking up condition and a condition for releasing the dose such that the wall is overturned with a contact surface facing the mould for releasing the dose in the mould by gravity; and wherein it includes cooling means of each transport element for cooling the element at least in a zone of the closed path.

An apparatus for forming an object comprises an extruding device (2) for supplying a continuous extrudate of polymeric material, at least one separating element for cutting the continuous extrudate thereby separating a dose (6; 106) of polymeric material from the continuous extrudate, at least one mould (5; 105; 205; 305; 405) comprising a first mould part (9; 109; 209; 309) and a second mould part (8; 108; 508) which are movable relative to one another between an open position, in which the dose (6; 106) is rested on a receiving part selected from the first mould part (9; 109; 209; 309) and the second mould part (8; 108; 508), and a closed position, in which a forming chamber is defined between the first mould part (9; 109; 209; 309) and the second mould part (8; 108; 508), the forming chamber having a shape corresponding to said object. The apparatus further comprises a thermal conditioning device (11; 111; 211; 311; 411) configured to act on the dose (6; 106) while the dose (6; 106) is positioned in said at least one mould (5; 105; 205; 305; 405) and before the closed position is reached, by thermally conditioning at least one surface portion (20; 120) of the dose (6; 106) which is distinct from a resting portion (17; 117) of the dose (6; 106) which is resting on the receiving part.

A compression-molding machine includes a turret including a die table having die bores penetrating the die table, an upper punch and a lower punch slidably retained respectively above and below each of the die bores, an upper roll and a lower roll respectively provided adjacent the upper punch and the lower punch, and a feeder, the compression-molding machine being of a rotary type configured to horizontally rotate the turret, fill the die bore passing below a feeder with a powdery material containing a lubricant from the feeder, and compression-mold the powdery material filled in the die bore when the upper punch and the lower punch being paired pass between the upper roll and the lower roll to produce a molded product, in which the feeder includes an agitating rotor configured to agitate the powdery material therein, and during a trial operation of producing molded products at a reduced rotational speed of the turret in comparison to a normal operation for mass production of molded products, the compression-molding machine measures a load torque of a motor configured to drive to rotate the agitating rotor in the feeder or current flowing in a coil of the motor, and controls to reduce a rotational speed of the agitating rotor in the feeder if the load torque or the current is higher than a predetermined value.