Conveyed goods of grains are fed from a pressure vessel into a conveyor line at a feed point for conveyance to a discharge point for supply to an extrusion head. The goods are plasticized in the extrusion head and extruded in a punctiform manner via a nozzle of the extrusion head. The extrusion head is moved dynamically by a manipulator during extrusion of the plasticized goods. Conveyor gas is force into the conveyor line by a gas compressor and allowed to escape the conveyor line at a separation point in a region of the discharge point. A gas positive pressure is temporarily applied by the gas compressor to the pressure vessel as the goods are fed from the pressure vessel into the conveyor line while bypassing the conveyor line via a first valve and closing a second valve in the conveyor line between the feed point and the gas compressor.

Aspects of the present invention relate to a tire tread production line and a method for manufacturing a tire tread. The production line comprises a coextruder, a THz sensor and a controller operatively connected to the coextruder and to the THz sensor. The THz sensor is configured to irradiate the multi-layer tire tread extrudate with THz electromagnetic radiation, and receive a response of the multi-layer tire tread extrudate to the THz electromagnetic radiation. The controller is configured to operate the coextruder based on the response of the multi-layer tire tread extrudate to the THz electromagnetic radiation.

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 process for continuously preparing a polyolefin composition made from or containing a polyolefin and carbon black in an extruder device. The process includes the steps of supplying polyolefin in form of a polyolefin powder and carbon black to a mixing device; alternatively, (a) measuring the flow rate of the polyolefin powder supplied to the mixing device or (b) measuring the flow rate of the polyolefin pellets prepared in the extruder device; adjusting the flow rate of the carbon black to the mixing device in response to the measured flow rate of the polyolefin powder or adjusting the flow rate of the polyolefin powder to the mixing device in response to the measured flow rate of the polyolefin pellets; melting and homogenizing the mixture within the extruder device; and pelletizing the polyolefin composition into the polyolefin pellets.

A process for continuously preparing a polyolefin composition made from or containing a bimodal or multimodal polyolefin and one or more additives in an extruder device equipped with at least one hopper. The process includes the steps of supplying a bimodal or multimodal polyolefin in form of a polyolefin powder to the hopper; (a) measuring the flow rate of the polyolefin powder or (b) measuring the flow rate of the prepared polyolefin pellets; supplying one or more additives to the hopper; adjusting the flow rates of the additives supplied to the hopper in response to the measured flow rate of the polyolefin powder or adjusting the flow rate of the polyolefin powder in response to the measured flow rate of the polyolefin pellets; melting and homogenizing the polyolefin powder and additives within the extruder device; and pelletizing the molten polyolefin composition into the polyolefin pellets.

A method and system for optimizing a match between the color of an in-line part manufactured by a plastic product production machine and the color of a reference part by adjusting the concentration of masterbatch in the mixture of raw material fed to the plastic product production machine. The optimization of the color is based on spectra of the in-line part and reference part obtained within a short time interval using the same spectrometer, thereby eliminating the requirement for high accuracy spectrometer calibration and allowing the method, which determines the rates at which the base masterbatches are added to the raw material, to be carried out in real time on the manufacturing floor while the plastic product production machine is being operated to manufacture in-line parts.

A system for manufacturing a catheter includes at least first and second controllable rate material feeders that feed at least first and second materials into a temperature-controlled mixer to form a compound material that varies in flexibility and/or strength with the respective first and second materials and material feed rates. An extruder extrudes the compound material onto a rotating and translating mandrel to thereby form a variable stiffness profile along a length of the catheter that depends on respective rates of rotation and translation of the mandrel.

Extrusion heads, methods of forming an extrusion head, and methods of forming an object are disclosed herein. An extrusion head may include a plurality of nozzles. Each nozzle may include a first opening configured to receive a solid material therein, a second opening configured to eject a molten material therefrom, a bore extending through the nozzle and connecting the first opening and the second opening, and an actuator positioned adjacent to the first opening and/or the second opening. The solid material may be heated to form the molten material. The additive manufacturing apparatus may further include a control device configured to signal each actuator to adjust an amount of the solid material received in the first opening and an amount of the molten material ejected from the second opening.

Provided is a production apparatus capable of producing a flexible tube whose hardness is naturally varied along the length direction thereof. This mixing valve includes: a first valve configured to distribute a first resin to a resin supply path and a resin discharge path; and a second valve configured to distribute a second resin to the resin supply path and the resin discharge path. In the mixing valve, the mixing proportion between the first resin and the second resin is increased or decreased in association with molding of the flexible tube, by changing a distribution ratio of the first resin in the first valve and a distribution ratio of the second resin in the second valve while keeping constant the total of the supply mounts of the first resin and the second resin supplied to a die.

Disclosed is a system for optimizing a match between the color of an in-line part manufactured by a plastic product production machine and the color of a reference part by adjusting the concentration of masterbatch in the mixture of raw material fed to the plastic product production machine. The optimization of the color is based on interlaced spectra of the in-line part and reference part obtained using the same spectrometer, thereby eliminating the requirement for high accuracy spectrometer calibration and allowing a controller of the system to determine the rates at which the base masterbatches are added to the raw material in real time on the manufacturing floor while the plastic product production machine is being operated to manufacture in-line parts.