An apparatus changes the temperature of thermoplastic material in an extruder head to reduce the time for producing an object. The apparatus includes a cooling device located near the one or more nozzles of the extruder head to change the temperature of the thermoplastic material extruded by the extruder head. The apparatus cools the thermoplastic material to enhance the formation of exterior object features. A heater can also be positioned near the nozzle zone to heat the thermoplastic material to reduce the time for raising the viscosity of the thermoplastic material for forming interior regions of the object.

A die attached to a head of a rubber extrusion device is disposed at a leading end position of an extrusion flow path. The die is moved at least in a uniaxial direction relative to the head along a leading end surface of the head to place the die and the head in a desired relative position. A rubber material is extruded forward using a screw installed inside a cylinder, while being mixed and kneaded. Resultant unvulcanized rubber is fed into an extrusion flow path and extruded from an extrusion port formed in the die.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a thickness profile (DP) of a film track (FB) along a transverse direction (QR) by means of a plurality of adjusting means (120) for adjusting a slot opening (112) of a discharge nozzle (110) of the flat film machine (100), comprising the following steps: acquiring a thickness profile (DP) along the transverse direction (QR) of the film track (FB) transverse to a production direction (PR) of the flat film machine (100), comparing at least a partial section of the acquired thickness profile (DP) with a preset profile (VP), determining at least one local profile deviation (PA) in a deviation section (AA) as a result of the comparison, generating at least one controlling intervention for the adjustment of at least one adjusting means (120) in an intervention section (EA) different from the deviation section (AA).

An extruder includes a cylinder 2 and a die 5 attached to the cylinder 2. The die 5 has a resin flow path portion 22 to which a molten resin is supplied from the cylinder 2 and a hole 21 which is connected to the resin flow path portion 22 and from which the molten resin is discharged. The extruder further includes a pressure measurement unit 31 configured to measure a pressure of the molten resin in the cylinder 2 or the die 5 and a calculation unit configured to calculate a viscosity of the molten resin based on a measured value of the pressure measurement unit 31.

A lip gap adjusting device and the like that can shorten a time required for adjustment of a lip gap are provided. In a lip gap adjusting device according to one embodiment, a plurality of lip gap adjusting mechanisms that are disposed in a width direction of an extrusion molding die and configured to adjust a lip gap at respective disposition spots each include an actuator and a coupling member that couples an output shaft of the actuator and a movable lip. The actuator adjusts the lip gap via the coupling member.

A method for material handling and mold filling is provided which directs the flow of molten plastic material from an extruder and allocates the molten material to a plurality of nozzles through the use of independently operated, variable valves. The method therefore provides independent streams of molten plastic material having variable temperatures and flow rates or volumes to particular sections or regions of the mold. This independent temperature or flow of molten plastic material facilitates the complete, rapid and accurate filling of the molds, reducing turbulence and other temperature or flow-related imperfections in the finished components. A method of using a multiphase material handling system is also disclosed for expeditious sequential and simultaneous filling and pressing of the mold and extracting the completed component from the system.

An apparatus changes the temperature of thermoplastic material in an extruder head to reduce the time for producing an object. The apparatus includes a cooling device located near the one or more nozzles of the extruder head to change the temperature of the thermoplastic material extruded by the extruder head. The apparatus cools the thermoplastic material to enhance the formation of exterior object features. A heater can also be positioned near the nozzle zone to heat the thermoplastic material to reduce the time for raising the viscosity of the thermoplastic material for forming interior regions of the object.

A method and a device for the online determination of the viscosity of a polymer in pasty to liquid form undergoing processing, such as extrusion is disclosed. It is provided that for the online determination of the viscosity of the polymer, at least a portion of the polymer undergoing processing is diverted and conveyed to the measurement volume of a measuring module, a predetermined volume of the respective batch is expelled from the measurement volume through a measurement nozzle by subjecting the batch to a predetermined pressure, the time required for expelling the predetermined volume of the batch is measured, the measured values are used for calculating the viscosity of the polymer, and prior to the filling of the measurement volume with the polymer to be measured, the measurement volume is flushed at least once with a quantity of the polymer being processed.

A three-dimensional model built with an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, and having a perimeter based on a contour tool path that defines an interior region of a layer of the three-dimensional model, where at least one of a start point and a stop point of the contour tool path is located within the interior region of the layer.

An additive manufacturing apparatus for extrusion-based production of a shaped article starting from a build material present in the form of a granulate and/or a powder, includes a plasticizing means, a printing nozzle, and a first connecting channel. Via the first connecting channel the build material is at least temporarily conductible/conducted from an outlet of the plasticizing means to the exit opening of the printing nozzle. Via a further connecting channel build material is at least temporarily conductible/conducted to a receiving region which does not correspond to the exit opening of the printing nozzle.