A thermoplastic starch (TPS)/polylactic acid (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co -terephthalate) (PBAT) blend modified biodegradable resin is prepared by using a chain extender, and is prepared from the following raw materials: 20-30 parts by weight of TPS; 20-30 parts by weight of PLA; 40-60 parts by weight of PBAT; and 0.5-0.9 parts by weight of a chain extender KL-E. The preparation method is a two-step method: blending the TPS with the PBAT in a twin screw for granulating; mixing TPS/PBAT mixed granules with PLA granules, and dissolving the chain extender KL-E into an ethyl acetate solution. The chain extender KL-E can be uniformly distributed in PLA and TPS/PBAT mixed granules by using a spraying method, and the remaining short-chain molecules and terminal carboxyl molecules in the mixed granules can be changed into long-chain molecules.

A continuous cycle system for moulding single objects from plastic material, including: an extruder including a cylinder extending along a longitudinal axis (L), a screw rotating inside the cylinder about the longitudinal axis (L), the screw having a core and a thread externally coupled to the core and heaters coupled to the cylinder; a moulding machine, configured to receive as input the flow of liquid plastic material from the extruder and including a plurality of moulds, each having a first and a second half mould movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position.

A method for manufacturing pellets from polymer, comprising: (1) melting polymer flakes in a first section of a melt processing unit to create a first single stream of polymer melt; (2) separating the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt by means of a separation element; (3) passing the multiple streams through a multiple stream section of said melt processing unit and exposing the multiple streams to a pressure within the multiple stream section of the melt processing unit as the multiple streams pass through the multiple stream section; (4) recombining the multiple streams into at least one combined stream of polymer melt; and (5) cooling the polymer melt and forming said pellets from the at least one combined stream. The intrinsic viscosity of the at least one combined stream may be determined and, in response, the chamber pressure within the multiple stream section adjusted.

A system for adjusting a gap in a slot die for producing a polymeric web. The system includes a slot die that has a polymer reservoir that extends between a polymer inlet and a melt outlet. The melt outlet has a first edge and a second edge that each extend longitudinally along the melt outlet. The second edge is opposite the first edge. A plurality of actuators move the second edge along a plurality of positions along a length of the second edge. The first edge is spaced apart from the second edge by a gap that has an adjustable profile. A pressure sensor communicates with the reservoir and measures the pressure of the polymer in the reservoir. A control unit with an algorithm correlates the profile of the gap to the pressure in the reservoir. The algorithm is configured to generate control signals to cause the profile of the gap to be uniform.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from recycled polymer. In various embodiments, the method includes: (1) reducing recycled polymer material into polymer flakes; (2) cleansing the polymer flakes; (3) melting the flakes into a polymer melt; (4) removing water and contaminants from the polymer melt by dividing the polymer melt into a plurality of polymer streams and exposing those streams to pressures below 25 millibars or another predetermined pressure; (5) recombining the streams; and (6) using the resulting purified polymer to produce bulked continuous carpet filament.

The method for manufacturing a foamed product uses a manufacturing apparatus having a plasticizing cylinder in which an introduction port for introducing a physical blowing agent into a starvation zone is formed, and an introduction speed adjustment container connected to the introduction port, wherein the manufacturing method comprises: turning a thermoplastic resin into a molten resin; introducing the physical blowing agent at a predetermined pressure into the starvation zone through the introduction speed adjustment container and maintaining the starvation zone at a predetermined pressure; setting the molten resin to a starved state; bringing the molten resin in the starved state and the pressurized fluid into contact with each other; and molding the molten resin into a foamed product. The maximum value of the inner diameter of the introduction speed adjustment container is larger than the inner diameter of the introduction port.

A method is disclosed for die coating a moving substrate with a high viscosity material such as a polymer. The method includes heating and mixing ingredients to form a homogenous mixture, pumping the mixture around a circulation loop with a first pump, maintaining a predetermined pressure of the mixture within the circulation loop, drawing mixture from the circulation loop with a second pump, delivering the mixture using the second pump to an extrusion die adjacent the moving substrate to coat the substrate, and controlling the second pump as a function of at least the speed of the moving substrate to maintain predetermined characteristics of the coating mixture applied to the moving substrate. An apparatus for carrying out the method also is disclosed.

An assembly for performing an additive manufacturing process includes a first material feed for dispensing a first material, a second material feed for dispensing a second material, a material combiner chamber, a first entry channel fluidly connecting the first material feed and the material combiner chamber, and a second entry channel fluidly connecting the second material feed and the material combiner chamber. The assembly further includes a pen tip for dispensing a material in the additive manufacturing process, the material comprising the first material and the second material, a valve having a rod, a first seal between the material combiner and the pen tip, and a first actuator for moving the rod back and forth along a longitudinal axis to open and close the first seal.

An extruding system includes a mixing unit configured to mix a polymeric material with a blowing agent and to form a mixture, and an injection unit coupled to the mixing unit and configured to inject the mixture. The mixing unit includes a mixing cartridge, a first mixing screw and a second mixing screw, the first and second mixing screws are disposed in the mixing cartridge. A method of extruding a mixture includes mixing a polymeric material and a blowing agent in a mixing cartridge of a mixing unit by at least one of a first and second mixing screws to form the mixture; conveying the mixture from the mixing unit to an injection unit; and discharging the mixture from the injection unit into a molding device. The mixture is sequentially in contact with the first mixing screw and the second mixing screw.

Systems for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from polymer, where the systems are configured for: (1) passing polymer flakes through a crystalliers; (2) melting the polymer to create a first single stream of polymer melt; (3) separating the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt; (4) exposing the multiple streams of polymer melt to a pressure of between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars in a chamber; (5) recombining the multiple streams of polymer melt into a second single stream of polymer melt; and (6) providing the second single stream of polymer melt to one or more spinning machines that are configured to form the second single stream of polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.