An apparatus (10) for producing reshaped plastic granules from a plurality of initial granules (12) with a predetermined shape is disclosed comprising: a feeding unit (20) for continuously receiving a plurality of said initial granules (12), a pressing unit (30) for mechanically reshaping the initial granules, said pressing unit comprising at least two opposite pressing surfaces (32) with a gap (34) therebetween, the width (W) of said gap ranging from 0 mm to 0.5 mm, a receiving chamber (40) for receiving the reshaped final granules (13) from the pressing unit, and a frame (50) for supporting the feeding unit, the pressing unit and the receiving chamber. A method is also provided to produce final granules by mechanically reshaping the initial granule, each final granule having a certain surface-to-volume ratio and a primary thickness of at most 0.7 mm within substantially the entire volume of the final granules.

A thermoforming system and related methods for manufacturing thermoplastic parts, such as interior panels for aircraft, may include a roll-to-roll operation and a forming press having at least one selectively rotatable tool. The rotatable tool, which may include a mold and/or a die, may be multifaceted, such that different faces of the tool have different mold arrangements for different forming characteristics.

A thermoforming system and related methods for manufacturing thermoplastic parts, such as interior panels for aircraft, may include a roll-to-roll operation and a forming press having at least one selectively rotatable tool. The rotatable tool, which may include a mold and/or a die, may be multifaceted, such that different faces of the tool have different mold arrangements for different forming characteristics.

A moulding device and a method for moulding food products from a mass of foodstuff which can be transferred by pumping are provided. The device includes a stationary frame with a revolving moulding drum assembly having a peripheral surface in which mould cavities are provided, and a mass feed device including a shoe member with a filling mouth adjoining the peripheral surface of the moulding drum assembly in order to fill said cavities with the foodstuff as they move past. In operation, the pressurized mass of foodstuff introduced into a mould cavity causes an outward force onto said shoe member. A non-revolving component is provided, concentrically supported by the moulding drum assembly, including the shoe member and an interconnected moulding drum assembly engaging counterforce element to counteract the entire outward force exerted by the pressurized foodstuff on the shoe member.

A rotary thermoforming apparatus including a rotatable drum having a plurality of cavity flats positioned on an outer surface of the drum together defining a mold cavity section of the drum, each cavity flat having one or more mold cavities, a plug assist assembly positioned adjacent each corresponding cavity flat when in a first retracted state, the plug assist assembly secured to, and rotatable with, the outer surface of the drum, each plug assist assembly having one or more plug assist members corresponding to the one or more mold cavities in the adjacent corresponding cavity flat, wherein each plug assist member is extendable into its corresponding mold cavity, and retractable from its corresponding mold cavity, wherein each plug assist assembly is extendable from the first retracted state to an extended state positioned over the corresponding cavity flat, and wherein each plug assist assembly is retractable from the extended state back to the first retracted state.

A controller of a rotary compression-molding machine is configured to detect, with a sensor, an amount of stuck molded products or a flow rate of molded products at an inlet configured to receive a molded product or an outlet configured to discharge the molded product subjected to predetermined post-treatment, of a peripheral device disposed downstream of the molding machine and is further configured to apply the post-treatment to the molded product discharged from the molding machine, and to regulate a rotational speed of a turret and punches of the molding machine in accordance with the detected amount of the stuck molded products or the detected flow rate of the molded products.

A controller of a rotary compression-molding machine is configured to detect, with a sensor, an amount of stuck molded products or a flow rate of molded products at an inlet configured to receive a molded product or an outlet configured to discharge the molded product subjected to predetermined post-treatment, of a peripheral device disposed downstream of the molding machine and is further configured to apply the post-treatment to the molded product discharged from the molding machine, and to regulate a rotational speed of a turret and punches of the molding machine in accordance with the detected amount of the stuck molded products or the detected flow rate of the molded products.

A method is provided for producing discrete three-dimensional cellulose products from an air-formed cellulose blank structure in a rotary forming mould system. The method includes providing an air-formed cellulose blank structure, wherein the cellulose blank structure is air-formed from cellulose fibres; transporting the air-formed cellulose blank structure to a the rotary forming mould system; feeding the air-formed cellulose blank structure to a position between a first mould part and a second mould part, and heating the air-formed cellulose blank structure; forming the three-dimensional cellulose products from the air-formed cellulose blank structure in the rotary forming mould system, by pressing the heated air-formed cellulose blank structure with a forming pressure.

A method is provided for producing discrete three-dimensional cellulose products from an air-formed cellulose blank structure in a rotary forming mould system. The method includes providing an air-formed cellulose blank structure, wherein the cellulose blank structure is air-formed from cellulose fibres; transporting the air-formed cellulose blank structure to a the rotary forming mould system; feeding the air-formed cellulose blank structure to a position between a first mould part and a second mould part, and heating the air-formed cellulose blank structure; forming the three-dimensional cellulose products from the air-formed cellulose blank structure in the rotary forming mould system, by pressing the heated air-formed cellulose blank structure with a forming pressure.

A distributor device is arranged for controlling a plurality of actuators, each of which is intended to open or close a corresponding mould. The distributor device comprises a rotary part rotatable about an axis and connectable to the actuators, and a stator part in fluid communication with the rotary part. The stator part is provided with: a low pressure distributor element, configured to selectively send an actuating fluid at a first pressure to the rotary part, so that one actuator of the plurality of actuators moves a first component and a second component of the corresponding mould closer to each other from a distanced position to an intermediate position; a high pressure distributor element, configured to selectively send an actuating fluid at a second pressure higher than the first pressure to the rotary part, so that the actuator moves the first component and the second component of the corresponding mould closer to each other from the intermediate position to a forming position; a maintaining distributor element, configured to selectively send an actuating fluid to the rotary part, so that the actuator maintains the first component and the second component in the forming position.