A method for operating an extruder that has a screw, including the steps: (a) detection of a formulation identifier which is associated with material to be extruded and which encodes at least one operating variable, from which an ideal screw rotational frequency of the screw, which is to be set for the extrusion process, can be determined, (b) time-dependent detection of a throughput parameter, from which a throughput of the extruder can be deduced, (c) detection of a non-conformance point in time, at which the material can no longer be produced with a predefined quality, owing to excessive wear of the extruder, and (d) calculation of a limit throughput parameter from the throughput parameter, linking of the limit throughput parameter to the formulation identifier, and storing of the limit throughput parameter.

A method for manufacturing a material strand assembly for a vehicle. The method includes: extruding strand material in an extruder so that an extruded material strand is produced; monitoring the quality of the extruded material strand so as to detect faults of the extruded material strand; in case of a detection of a fault, cutting out the fault from the material strand and re-joining cutting end faces, thus producing a joint, so that a faultless material strand is produced. The cutting-out step is conducted such that any two adjacent joints are at a minimum joint distance from each other. The faultless material strand is stored in a storage unit so as to produce the material strand assembly. The extruded material strand is passed through a first strand accumulator between the extruder and the cutting arrangement and through a second strand accumulator between the cutting arrangement and the storage unit.

A volumetric pump comprising a product metering chamber, a metering piston mounted inside the chamber so as to slide between top dead center and bottom dead center, a sleeve at least partially delimiting an intake chamber and an exhaust chamber for the product, and a product dispenser that is mounted so as to be able to move with respect to the sleeve and is able to place the metering chamber alternately into communication with the intake chamber and the exhaust chamber is provided. The pump also comprises a pressure sensor that is able to measure the pressure of the product inside the metering chamber, and a control unit that is connected to the pressure sensor and is able to verify the presence of pressure peaks exhibiting a value greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure threshold.

Thermoplastic compositions useful for roadway markings may be produced using a continuous systems and process methods that can reduce costs and improve product quality. Systems may comprise a feed system comprising a plurality of feeders and a mixing system comprising a mixer and a smoothing system. Each feeder may be configured to discharge a material at a feed rate according to a selected product formulation The mixing system may be configured to receive, heat, and combine the materials to produce a thermoplastic material, and discharge the thermoplastic material at a determined discharge rate.

The continuity of a functional layer of a web (32, 60, 78) is assessed by forwarding the web, detecting (42, 63) the presence of the functional layer and a discontinuity and/or a thin region in the functional layer, and generating a signal in response to the discontinuity and/or thin region. The functional layer comprises a detectable component (360) in a thermoplastic composition. The detecting is carried out by a machine vision system capable of detecting the detectable component (360) in the functional layer. The detectable component (360) can be active or passive. Also included are systems for carrying out the process.

A computer program causing a computer to execute processing of detecting an abnormality of an industrial machine having a movable part is provided. The computer executes the processing oft acquiring physical quantity data on a time-series basis output from a sensor detecting a physical quantity related to a motion of the movable part; converting the physical quantity data on a time-series basis acquired to a time-series data image representing the physical quantity data; inputting the time-series data image converted to a learning model to calculate a feature of the time-series data image, the learning model being trained with a feature of the time-series data image related to the movable part in a normal condition; and determining a presence or an absence of an abnormality of the industrial machine based on the calculated feature.

Systems and methods of indicating to a line worker when there is a defective zipper profile extruded onto a generally flat plastic web while moving in a feed direction in a re-sealable container production line. The system includes a sensor for detecting the defective zipper profile and a web distortion device that actuates in response to the sensor detecting the defect. The web distortion device keeps the web bunched together while it spools onto a roll support device located downstream thereby making it readily apparent to a line worker that the bunched segment contains the defective segment.

A rubber extrusion device includes a sensor which detects a deviation from a preset reference position of a rubber extrudate extruded from an extrusion port. Based on this detection data, a control unit provides control for correction of the deviation by adjusting a position of a die relative to a head along a leading end surface of the head or a rotational speed of a screw. A rubber material is mixed and kneaded while being extruded forward by a screw installed inside a cylinder. Resultant unvulcanized rubber is fed into an extrusion flow path and extruded from the extrusion port formed in the die.

An abnormality detection system includes an abnormality detection apparatus that detects an abnormality of a production device, a control device that performs operation control of the manufacturing device and transmits operating data, a sensor that detects a physical quantity related to operation or a product of the manufacturing device and outputs sensor value data, and a diagnostic apparatus. The abnormality detection apparatus determines a presence or an absence of an abnormality of the manufacturing device based on the operating data transmitted from the control device and the sensor value data output from the sensor and transmits the determination result to the control device. The abnormality detection apparatus further transmits the operating data and the sensor value data to the diagnostic apparatus. The diagnostic apparatus diagnoses the condition of the manufacturing device based on sensor value data accumulated in the past in the database and the received data and transmits the diagnostic result to the abnormality detection apparatus. The abnormality detection apparatus transmits the diagnostic result to the control device.

A method of manufacturing a material strand (100), particularly for sealing, trimming or fastening of doors (11) or windows (12) of a motor vehicle (10), comprises the steps of: a) extrusion of an extruded strand (200); b) testing the extruded strand (200) after the extrusion, thereby identifying first segments (210) comprising manufacturing defects (211) and second segments (220) being free from manufacturing detects; c) cutting out the first segments (210) from the extruded strand (200), thereby causing faces (222) at the second segments (220); d) joining cut faces (222) of second segments (220) to obtain a joint (102) and to form a material strand (100), the joint (102) having a position within the material strand (100), wherein a minimum distance (d) is maintained between the positions of adjacent joints (102); e) identifying the position of each joint (102); and f) forming a transport unit (110) having a predetermined maximum length by winding the material strand (100).