A device for influencing the volume flow of extruded plastically deformable material conveyed to an outlet nozzle. A flange arranged between an extrusion unit and an outlet nozzle and is connected to the extrusion unit and the outlet nozzle. A duct from the extrusion unit and the outlet nozzle is incorporated in the flange. A piston is mounted in the flange to be rotatable perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the duct and is located through the duct. In the piston there is a hole which opens into a bypass duct routed to a bypass nozzle. On the outer lateral surface of the piston there is at least one groove in the region of the duct so that, depending on the angular positions of the piston, material can be conveyed through the at least one groove to the outlet nozzle or through the hole to the bypass nozzle.

Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an extrusion nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to extruding the filament from the extrusion nozzle.

A method for forming a multilayer plastic sheet material is disclosed, where a first polymer mass is melted under pressure and is passed through an extruder head at a specified discharge rate in the form of a plastic strand in sheet form that is provided with one or more layers so that a multilayer plastic strand is formed. This is passed to two or more rolls of a finishing stand that processes the multilayer plastic strand into a sheet. After the plastic strand in sheet form leaves the extruder head, it is first passed between a top roll and a bottom roll of a roughing stand. The speed of the rolls of the finishing stand and the rolls of the roughing stand is synchronized with the discharge rate of the plastic strand in sheet form from the extruder head, so that the plastic strand is processed without stress.

A method of filling a mold comprising filling a majority of a mold cavity with an extrudate from at least one extruder wherein the extrudate, which is conveyed to an inlet of the mold, is at a pressure of 1-500 psi, subsequently isolating the mold cavity from a conduit which conveys the extrudate to the mold cavity, and subsequently using a pressurization member to fill a remainder of the mold cavity with additional extrudate, wherein the pressurization member excepts a pressure above 500 psi on the additional extrudate.

A system for adjusting a gap in a slot die for producing a polymeric web. The system includes a slot die that has a polymer reservoir that extends between a polymer inlet and a melt outlet. The melt outlet has a first edge and a second edge that each extend longitudinally along the melt outlet. The second edge is opposite the first edge. A plurality of actuators move the second edge along a plurality of positions along a length of the second edge. The first edge is spaced apart from the second edge by a gap that has an adjustable profile. A pressure sensor communicates with the reservoir and measures the pressure of the polymer in the reservoir. A control unit with an algorithm correlates the profile of the gap to the pressure in the reservoir. The algorithm is configured to generate control signals to cause the profile of the gap to be uniform.

An extrusion device includes a material inlet; a material outlet; a material guidance system; a body, which passes through the material outlet and a cross-sectional area through which the extrusion material is expelled from the material outlet changes; a drive device; a cooling line system for guiding coolant. A first part of the cooling line system is suitable for guiding the coolant along the axis, a second part is suitable for guiding the coolant out of the body and around the drive device, and a third part of the cooling line system guiding the coolant outwardly, into a discharge line for the coolant at an incline to the axis. The second part of the cooling line system adjoins the first part of the cooling line system, and the third part adjoins the second part against a flow direction of the extrusion material from the material inlet to the material outlet.

The invention relates to an apparatus for providing marks on extruded films, in particular on stretched films, which are exiting an extrusion lip of a film extruder and a respective method. The apparatus comprises at least one nozzle means for directing a gas stream, preferably an air stream to a surface of the film exiting the extrusion lip of the film extruder, wherein the nozzle means are configured and arranged in such a manner that the gas stream locally causes a cooling of the extruded film to create a local mark.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head operatively connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may include a first supply configured to hold a continuous reinforcement, a second supply configured to hold a matrix separate from the continuous reinforcement, and a wetting mechanism in separate communication with the first and second supplies and configured to discharge the continuous reinforcement wetted with the matrix. The system may also include a controller programmed to selectively pressurize the second supply to direct the matrix to the wetting mechanism.

A method and apparatus for forming extruded shapes having at least a hollow portion using a hydrodynamic nozzle, a curable fluid, and a core fluid.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head operatively connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may include a first supply configured to hold a liquid matrix, a second supply configured to hold a continuous reinforcement, and a wetting module configured to separately receive the liquid matrix and the continuous reinforcement from the first and second supplies, respectively, and to discharge a composite material including the continuous reinforcement wetted with the liquid matrix. The wetting module may include a body forming an internal chamber having an upstream open end and a downstream open end, an entrant nozzle disposed within the upstream open end and configured to receive the continuous reinforcement, and an exit nozzle disposed within the downstream closed end and configured to discharge the composite material.