A filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system includes an elastomeric core and a harder, non-elastomeric shell. The core compositionally comprising an elastomeric core material having a flexural modulus of less than 31,000 psi and a durameter of less than 80 Shore. The shell overlays the core portion and compositionally comprises a non-elastomeric thermoplastic shell material that is substantially miscible with the elastomeric core material, wherein the core material and the shell material have the same monomer chemistry. The non-elastomeric thermoplastic shell material has a flexural modulus that is greater than the flexural modulus of the elastomeric core material by at least a factor of five, wherein the shell provides sufficient strength or stiffness to the filament such that filament can be utilized as a feedstock in the extrusion-based additive manufacturing system.

A method for reducing gel in a polymer kneaded compound flowing in a polymer flow duct includes flowing a polymer kneaded compound in a polymer flow duct to a gel reduction mechanism including a gel reduction member having one or more through holes defining a squeezing flow path having a flow path cross-sectional area smaller than the polymer flow duct. The squeeze ratio S1/S2 of the squeezing flow path is 25 to 177.8, where S1 is a flow path cross-sectional area of the polymer flow duct and S2 is a sum total of flow path cross-sectional area of the squeezing flow path, to generate an extensional flow in the kneaded compound.

Provided are multilayer polymer films comprising LLDPE, LDPE and a random propylene-ethylene copolymer which films suitable for packaging applications and are mechanically recyclable, and to recycled polymer compositions formed by mechanically recycling such films. The recycled polymer compositions may be combined with a polypropylene random copolymer and used to form further polymer films suitable for packaging applications applications.

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.

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.

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 system 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.

Methods and an apparatus are presented. A bulk molding compound is consolidated by sending the bulk molding compound through a die breaker and an extrusion die of a consolidation system.

A melt distributor (1) having a plurality of bifurcated melt passages melt passages (5.1, 5.2, 5.3) for redirecting and distributing melt flows from a thermoplastic plastic. The melt distributor can be connected to a multiple extrusion head for producing multi-layer preforms. The branched junction (8) is configured as a rounded y-shaped conduit branch, and at least the branched junction (8) between a supply passage part (6) and the discharging passage parts (7.1, 7.2) of the bifurcated melt passage follows a continuously bent curve, the curvature of which is not equal to zero. The rounded and continuously bent configuration of the branched junction (8) contributes to shorter flow paths and avoids the formation of dead zones.

A method for directly preparing a foamed polylactic acid (PLA) product from a PLA melt includes PLA melt preparation, feeding, and two-stage extrusion. In the two-stage extrusion, a pressure at an outlet of a first-stage twin-screw extruder is 15 MPa to 17 MPa, a PLA melt is fed at a rate of 250 kg/h, a foaming additive is fed at a rate of 7.5 kg/h to 10 kg/h, and a foaming gas is fed at a rate of 2.8 L/h to 7.5 L/h. The method can ensure both foamability and quality of a material and reduce more than ⅓ of energy consumption; and an obtained product has an adjustable foaming rate of 3 to 25, a crystallinity of 40.3% to 48.5%, a tensile strength of 8.7 MPa to 19.6 MPa, and an apparent density of 0.05 g/cm.sup.3 to 0.4 g/cm.sup.3.