A ram extrusion apparatus including a die having several thermal zones, a hopper for introducing a granular polymer resin to the die, and a ram for moving the granular polymer resin through the thermal zones of the die and out from an outlet end thereof at a temperature above the crystalline melt temperature of the polymer resin. The hopper may be designed to deliver the polymer resin into a resin inlet of the die in a plurality of specifically metered amounts which may vary across a width of the resin inlet end of the die. The apparatus may further include one or more finishing tables positioned after the outlet end of the die for receiving and moving the extruded resin away from the outlet end of the die so that there is no backpressure on the extruded resin, and which provide compression force and even cooling to the extruded resin.

The use of a hot-melt adhesive as a protective element for objects is disclosed, wherein the hot-melt adhesive contains over 80 wt. % of at least one modified polyolefin copolymer produced from a high-molecular-weight polyolefin copolymer by thermomechanical degradation of the polymer under shear stress and/or heating, wherein the viscosity of the copolymer is reduced, and up to 20 wt. % of additives and auxiliary substances, wherein the adhesive has a softening point from 70 to 150° C.

A kneading apparatus for a thermoplastic resin, includes: a plasticizing cylinder which has a high pressure kneading zone and a pressure reduction zone; a screw in the plasticizing cylinder; a downstream side seal mechanism which shuts off communication between the high pressure kneading zone and the pressure reduction zone; and a pressure reduction zone pressure adjusting mechanism which is connected to the pressure reduction zone and which controls a pressure of the pressure reduction zone so that the pressure is not less than an atmospheric pressure and the pressure is not more than a maximum pressure of the high pressure kneading zone that is achieved when kneading a molten resin with a pressurized fluid, when the downstream side seal mechanism shuts off the communication between the high pressure kneading zone and the pressure reduction zone.

A method for producing a film having luminescent particles is described. The method has steps a) mixing a thermoplastic and a luminescent pigment containing a hydroxyalkyl terephthalate of the formulate: R.sub.1—COO—P(OH)x-COO—R.sub.2 and obtaining a thermoplastic mixture; and b) homogenizing the thermoplastic mixture to 150° C. to 200° C. in an extruder, by way of an extrusion nozzle, and obtaining a thermoplastic film.

An extrusion apparatus includes a diagnostic system with a material processing section and an extruder screw disposed for rotation in a barrel and surrounded by a shroud assembly. The apparatus includes a temperature control system with heater sand cooler. The apparatus includes a speed control apparatus that has a drive unit and a speed variation device that is coupled to the extruder screw. The apparatus includes a diagnostic system in communication with the material processing section and/or the speed control apparatus. The diagnostic system includes a sensor system in communication with the material processing section and/or the speed control apparatus; and a computer processor in communication with the sensor system and a computer. The computer processor includes a computer readable medium that employs one or more algorithms and that are executable by the computer to generate signals characterizing performance of the material processing section and/or the speed control apparatus

A PBT composite material having high heat resistance and high gloss for a vehicle mirror and a method for preparing the same are provided. The PBT composite material includes 57.2-88.9 wt % of PBT, 5-20 wt % of PET, 5-20 wt % of calcium silicate, 0-10 wt % of coupling agent-modified talc, 0.1-0.3 wt % of an antioxidant, 0.5-1.5 wt % of a flowing aid and 0.5-1.0 wt % of a nucleating agent. In the preparing method, the above components are placed into an extruding machine to perform a melt plasticization, and a molten material extruded by a die head of the extruding machine is water-cooled and stretched into a stripe to be granulated. The resulting PBT composite material has an excellent heat resistance and a good surface gloss and is suitable for manufacturing a high heat-resistant and high gloss vehicle mirror.

A method for rapid manufacturing of three dimensional discontinuous fiber preforms is provided. The method includes the deposition of a polymeric material containing fibers on a surface to form a tailored charge for compression molding. The reinforced polymeric material may be a thermoplastic or a reactive polymer with viscosity low enough to allow flow through an orifice during deposition, yet high enough zero shear viscosity to retain the approximate shape of the deposited charge. The material can be deposited in a predetermined pattern to induce the desired mechanical properties through alignment of the fibers. This deposition can be performed in a single layer or in multiple layers. The alignment is achieved passively by shear alignment of the fibers or actively through fiber orientation control or mixing. The fibers can be of the desired material, length, and morphology, including short and long filaments.

Assay cartridges are described that have a detection chamber, preferably having integrated electrodes, and other fluidic components which may include sample chambers, waste chambers, conduits, vents, bubble traps, reagent chambers, dry reagent pill zones and the like. In certain embodiments, these cartridges are adapted to receive and analyze a sample collected on an applicator stick. Also described are kits including such cartridges and a cartridge reader configured to analyze an assay conducted using an assay cartridge.

A printing apparatus for 3D printing of feedstock. The printing apparatus comprises a hollow nozzle having an inlet and an outlet. The nozzle is mounted within a heating body that holds and heats the nozzle whereby the feedstock passing through the nozzle is heated prior to exiting the outlet. The nozzle can be mounted within the heating body such that an exterior surface of a portion of the nozzle locates outside of and extends away from the heating body to be exposed to ambient atmosphere. As a result, the temperature of the nozzle can vary across the nozzle.

An extruder configured to extrude a solid raw material containing moisture includes a barrel, a hopper coupled to one side of the barrel, a discharge port, a screw, vent disposed between the hopper and the discharge port to discharge vapor generated within the barrel; and a heater mounted on the barrel to heat the raw material. Raw material introduced into the barrel through the hopper is heated by the heater while being transferred within the barrel through the screw. A kneading zone, in which raw materials transferred by the screw threads are compressed, is formed on the screw. Since the raw material is melted within the barrel, a heating temperature of the heater and an axial rotation speed of the screw are controlled so that a sealing membrane that shields an inner transverse section of the barrel is formed from the liquid raw material in the kneading zone.