A method for producing an electrically conductive seamless tube includes (1) preparing an electrically conductive resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin and an electrically conductive filler, (2) preparing a cylindrical extruding die including a cylindrical slit, at least one circumferential distribution channel communicating with the slit and distributing the resin composition that is plasticized in a circumferential direction of the slit, and at least one lead-in path that leads the plasticized resin composition into the circumferential distribution channel, the lead-in path containing a line mixer; (3) introducing the plasticized resin composition into the lead-in path toward the circumferential distribution channel; (4) introducing the plasticized resin composition flowing through the lead-in path into the circumferential distribution channel toward the slit; and (5) introducing the resin composition flowing through the circumferential distribution channel into the slit and extruding the resin composition from an outlet of the slit into a cylindrical shape.

Porous sheet product and methods of making and using the same. In one embodiment, the porous sheet product may be made by a process that includes providing an extrusion mixture, the extrusion mixture including a polymeric binder, a swelling agent, a compatibilizing agent, and a superabsorbent polymer, the superabsorbent polymer being in particle form. The superabsorbent polymer may be wet-milled such that its particle size before and after milling is reduced by a ratio of at least 5:1. The extrusion mixture may be melt-extruded to form a sheet material in film form. At least a portion of the swelling and compatibilizing agents may be removed. The porous sheet product is preferably liquid permeable and may be used, for example, as a battery separator, as a food packaging material, as a diffusion barrier and disposable garments.

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.

Systems for manufacturing bulked continuous filament having tonal coloring from PET comprise, in various embodiments: (1) an extruder; (2) a static mixing assembly coupled to the extruder comprising: (a) a housing, and (b) one or more individual static mixing elements disposed within the housing; (3) a plurality of colorant ports along a length of the static mixing assembly such that each of the plurality of colorant ports is configured to provide colorant to a polymer stream at a different location along the length of the static mixing assembly; and (4) one or more spinning machines positioned downstream of the static mixing assembly and coupled to the static mixing assembly to receive the colored polymer stream. The spinning machine(s) may be configured to form the colored polymer stream into bulked continuous carpet filament having a tonal color effect.

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.

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 a melt conductor block (4) with a multi-channel system (5), the multi-channel system (5) being arranged inside the melt conductor block (4) 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.

A process and system for rapidly fabricating small batches of powder coating compositions having desired colors from one or more solid input filaments. An additive manufacturing filament fabricator feeds one or more single-color solid polymer input filaments into a heated mixer in accordance with an input formulation to be liquefied and mixed to produce a homogenous extrudate mixture. The extrudate mixture is solidified on an extrudate receiving platform and is then comminuted by an extrudate mill into a finished powder coating composition having a desired color.

A method for the manufacture of a tube (10) containing a plastic material is proposed. The plastic material is melted in an extruder (3) so that a plastic melt is obtained, wherein the extruder (3) includes a passage (5). A conveyor (4) is arranged in the passage (5). The passage (5) has a first end (6), wherein the plastic material is introduced downstream of the first end (6) into the passage (5). The plastic material is conveyed through the passage (5, 35) and is converted into a plastic melt. The passage (5) has a second end (7), wherein the plastic melt is directed through the passage (5) into a forming tool (8). The tube (10) is produced by means of the forming tool (8), wherein the tube (10) leaves the passage (5) at the second end (7), wherein the tube (10) leaves the passage (5) on the second end (7). The plastic melt is guided through a cooling device (9), wherein the cooling device (9) comprises a cooling element (19) and a mixing element (40, 41), which is arranged in the interior of the passage (5, 35), wherein the plastic melt flows around the cooling element (19, 49) and the mixing element (40, 41), so that the plastic melt is cooled through the cooling element (19, 49) and the plastic melt is mixed by the mixing element (40, 41).

A process and associated system for creating color effects using 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.

A single use container having integrated intertwining patterns on one or more of an outer surface and an inner surface. A method of forming a single use container having integrated intertwining patterns that includes extruding a polymer material, injecting a plurality of colors at respective predetermined locations of the extruded flow of polymer material, agitating the extruded flow with the injected colors, extruding the agitated flow into a flat sheet, and molding the flat sheet to a shape of the single use container.