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 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 introducing color to a polymer stream during the manufacturing of bulked continuous carpet filament comprises: adding a colorant to a polymer stream downstream of a primary extruder; changing a color probe within a color injection port while maintaining the flow of the polymer stream at a polymer stream pressure; using one or more static mixing assemblies for the polymer stream to substantially uniformly mix the polymer stream and its colorant; and spinning the polymer stream with its substantially uniformly mixed colorant into BCF using a spinning machine.

A method of introducing color to a polymer stream during the manufacturing of bulked continuous carpet filament comprises: adding a colorant to a polymer stream downstream of a primary extruder; changing a color probe within a color injection port while maintaining the flow of the polymer stream at a polymer stream pressure; using one or more static mixing assemblies for the polymer stream to substantially uniformly mix the polymer stream and its colorant; and spinning the polymer stream with its substantially uniformly mixed colorant into BCF using a spinning machine.

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.

An intermediate transfer member including a base layer, wherein the base layer contains a thermoplastic resin and an electroconductive filler dispersed in the thermoplastic resin, and wherein the base layer has a volume resistivity of 1?10.sup.6 to 1?10.sup.13 ?.Math.cm, and the base layer has an electroconductive path index of 0.20 or less.

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.