The present teachings include a method of measuring an entire film thickness. The method may include forming a polymeric film (10) and measuring the thickness of the film (10) with a camera (20) collecting spatial and spectral images of a plurality of points at one time. The camera may collect a line image from a line of the film. The camera may be a hyperspectral near-infrared camera. In analyzing raw data collected during the measuring step, fringes of the raw data may be corrected using a classical least squares analysis.

In a resin-film manufacturing apparatus of an embodiment, when a lip gap control is started, a difference between a state of a target heat bolt (THB) at a start of current control and a state of each of all the heat bolts at a start of last control is obtained, when the difference between the states of THB at the starts of the current and last control is a smallest one, a learning result of THB is set as an initial value of a control condition for THB, and when the difference between the states of THB is not the smallest one, either one of a learning result of the heat bolt of which the difference between the states is smaller than the difference between the states of THB and the learning result of THB is set as the initial value of the control condition for THB.

The invention relates to a method for switching the production of a flat film machine (100) from a feed product (EP) to a follow-on product (FP), comprising the following steps: recognizing a switching request for a switch from the feed product (EP) to the follow-on product (FP), determining a current feed control value (ES) of at least one control variable (SG) of the flat film machine (100) for the feed product (EP), determining a follow-on control value (FS) of the same at least one control variable (SG) for the follow-on product (FP), generating a control signal (SS) for a defined variation of the at least one control variable (SG) of the flat film machine (100) from the feed control value (ES) to the follow-on control value (FS).

A method of producing a blown film with a controlled thickness profile, comprises the steps of: extruding molten plastic through an annular extrusion die; cooling the molten plastic using an annular blower around the extrusion die, positioning one or more sources of supplemental air at one or more desired circumferential positions about the annular extrusion die and adjacent to the extruded molten plastic, the annular blower and the one or more sources of supplemental air being operated to supply cooling air to the molten plastic between the annular extrusion die and the frost line where the molten plastic solidifies; and controlling the one or more sources of supplemental air to form one or more areas of increased thickness along a circumferential thickness profile of the blown film, the one or more areas of increased thickness having a thickness that is greater than an average thickness of the circumferential profile.

The invention relates to a method for automatically regulating the size of a nozzle discharge slot of a nozzle assembly, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a first and a second nozzle lip and a nozzle discharge slot arranged between the nozzle lips for setting in a controlled manner a thickness profile of a conveyable melt. A plurality of adjusting elements, in particular a plurality of adjusting pins, coupled to a respective thermoelement, is arranged on the first nozzle lip, the thermoelements being controllable by the regulation in such a way that the slot can be adjusted by the action of a mechanical force from the respective adjusting element on the first nozzle lip, as a result of the expansion or contraction of the thermoelements. At an initial operation of the nozzle assembly for conveying the melt, the adjusting elements for subsequent regulation of the slot size are set uniquely free from play as the initial setting. The invention further relates to a control and/or regulation system.

Provide is a blown film forming apparatus including a die including a columnar inner peripheral member and a cylindrical outer peripheral member that surrounds the inner peripheral member, and extruding a resin from a lip formed between the inner peripheral member and the outer peripheral member, and a plurality of die lip drive mechanisms including a fluid pressure actuator as a drive source and adjusting a lip width by applying a radial load to the outer peripheral member, in which the outer peripheral member includes a plurality of load receiving portions to which a load is applied by the die lip drive mechanism, and a stiffness reducing portion that is provided between the plurality of load receiving portions.

A laminate (110) of polypropylene films (100), a luggage shell (120) constructed of the laminate (110), a method (200) of making the laminate (110), and a method (280) of making the luggage shell (120) are provided. The films (100) include a core (102) and at least one outer layer (104). The laminate (110) includes a plurality of films (100). The laminate (110) may be formed by laminating a plurality of films 100 under predetermined pressure, temperature, and time conditions. The shell (120) may be formed by deep drawing a sheet of laminate (110) while applying heat and tension to the laminate (110).

Methods have been discovered that make it possible to continuously extrude tubes of P4HB and copolymers thereof. These methods allow tubes of P4HB and copolymers thereof to be produced without radial deformation of the tubes despite the slow crystallization of the polymer and copolymers. The methods can produce tubes of P4HB and copolymers thereof with tightly defined outside and inside diameters which are required for medical application. These tubes are produced by radial expansion at temperatures above the melting temperature of P4HB and copolymers thereof, and using low tube cooling temperatures and prolonged cooling times. The tubes made from P4HB and copolymers thereof are flexible, and can be prepared with high elongation to break values.

A die includes an upper body member and an adjustment system. The upper body member has a upper surface, a gap surface, a gap edge positioned between the upper surface and the gap surface, and a gap flange. The adjustment system includes an adjustment body that defines a plurality of channels, and a plurality of adjusters. Each of the plurality of adjusters is slideably positioned within a respective one of the plurality of channels. Each of the plurality of adjusters is configured to couple to the gap flange of the upper body member. When the plurality of adjusters are coupled to the gap flange movement of the plurality of adjusters causes a change in a position of the gap edge.

A monitor system for monitoring a status of a material in an extruder device is provided. The monitor system includes: a heater, a thermal sensor, a hardness measuring module and a material status monitor. The heater is for heating the material in a material delivering part of the extruder device; the thermal sensor is for measuring a thermal variation of the material; the hardness measuring module is for measuring a first hardness value of the material; and the material status monitor is for determining the status of the material according to the thermal variation and the first hardness value.