A method of manufacturing a polymer film includes melting a resin, extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film, shaping the polymer film, cooling the polymer film, capturing an image of a test pattern through the polymer film, calculating a modulation transfer function value from the image, and adjusting a process parameter of the melting, the extruding, the shaping, or the cooling based on the calculated modulation transfer function value.

A temperature control system for the extruder of a 3-D printer includes a blower and a baffling system to cool different components of the extruder using the same blower by directing air flow of the blower into two passages arranged at an outlet of the blower.

An extrusion head of an extruder is configured to move along a feedpath independently from a heating element so that the extrusion head can yield to extrusion-related forces. Specifically, the extruder may include an extrusion head movably coupled to a thermal core to permit axial displacement of the extrusion head relative to the thermal core. In use, the extrusion head may be displaced within the thermal core when the extruder is subject to extrusion-related forces (e.g., an upward force created by a refraction of build material or a downward force created by an advance of build material). This motion can facilitate better transitions by the extruder between different layers or z-axis positions in a model during fabrication.

The extrusion device of a solid film comprises a cell provided with an input opening of a material designed to form the solid film, and an output opening of the solid film from the cell. The device comprises a first heat exchanger for applying a first temperature to the output opening and a second heat exchanger for applying a second temperature in a first zone of the cell distinct from the output opening and a control circuit imposing first and second sets of first and second temperatures. The first set enables a volume of the material in solid phase to be formed. The second set enables a temperature gradient to be generated in the volume so as to generate a pressure forcing extrusion of the solid film via the output opening.

An extrusion device of a three-dimensional printer comprises a housing, a nozzle, a ratchet, an idler and a cooling mechanism. The nozzle is connected with the housing, the ratchet is disposed in the housing, and the idler is disposed adjacent to the ratchet. A thermofusible material is jointly held by the ratchet and the idler, and is guided to be extruded through the nozzle. The cooling mechanism comprises an air pump and an air pipe. The air pipe is partially disposed in the housing and connected with the air pump for guiding the air extracted by the air pump to flow into the housing through the air pipe, thereby reducing an environment temperature inside the housing. Therefore, by disposing the air-guiding cooling mechanism, the advantages of enhancing the cooling effect and the printing quality are achieved.

The polymeric pipes reinforced with a metal casing are used for transporting oil and gas, acids, alkali products, drinking water and industrial water, and also in the transportation of aggressive and neutral pulps. A metal-containing polymeric reinforced pipe includes a welded metal casing and a polymeric matrix having an amorphous-phase-based molecular structure. The metal-containing polymeric reinforced pipe is produced by extrusion moulding with simultaneous feeding of a polymer melt and the reinforcing metal casing into the mould cavity, followed by intensive cooling of the internal and external surfaces of the pipe being moulded. The invention increases the quality and endurance limit in the radial direction of the metal-containing polymeric reinforced pipe, productivity of the process for manufacturing the pipe, and also the strength and technological effectiveness of a pipeline constructed from the pipes produced.

An apparatus and method for processing grain material to generate a consistently high densified grain with a desired length, shape and size. The densified grain processing apparatus comprises a die assembly, a cooling assembly and a break-off assembly. The method includes receiving the grain material by the die assembly and forcing the grain material through an extrusion passageway that evenly distributes the grain material into a plurality of orifices thereby producing a high density shaped grain before the grain material exits the die assembly. A coolant is pumped to a coolant passage by means of an at least one pump and cools the shaped grain by passing the shaped grain through at least one of the cooling tube inside a cooling chamber. The break-off assembly then breaks off a predetermined length of the shaped grain.

A method for forming an object made of a polymeric material, wherein the polymeric material has a melting temperature (Tf), comprising the following steps: melting the polymeric material; cooling the polymeric material below the melting temperature (Tf); extruding the polymeric material into a tubular shaped body (H); inserting the tubular body (H) into a mould (60) having an internal cavity; closing off the tubular body (H) at a first end thereof; blowing air into the tubular body (H) through a second end, in order that the tubular body (H) adheres to the internal cavity of the mould (60).

A method for forming an object made of a polymeric material, wherein the polymeric material has a melting temperature (Tf), comprising the following steps: melting the polymeric material; cooling the polymeric material below the melting temperature (Tf); extruding the polymeric material into a tubular shaped body (H); inserting the tubular body (H) into a mould (60) having an internal cavity; closing off the tubular body (H) at a first end thereof; blowing air into the tubular body (H) through a second end, in order that the tubular body (H) adheres to the internal cavity of the mould (60).

A three-dimensional drawing device can include a housing configured for to be held in user's hand, shaped to allow manipulation of the housing like a pen, and configured to accept a strand of thermoplastic material. The drawing device has a nozzle assembly with an exit nozzle and a motor connected to a gear train that engages the strand such that rotation of the motor causes the feed stock to be extruded out of the exit nozzle to form a three-dimensional object. The motor can be controlled using a variable speed control mechanism or first and second actuators, thereby controlling movement of the strand, for example, to advance or retract the strand relative to the nozzle assembly.