Apparatus and methods for manufacturing compostable, biodegradable drink straws from polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material are disclosed herein. Such apparatus may include a hopper that contains raw PHA material, an extruder that receives the raw PHA material from the hopper and produces extruded PHA material, one or more waters baths that cool the extruded PHA material, a puller that pulls a tubular stream of PHA material through the system, and a cutter that is configured to cut the stream of PHA material into finished straws. The finished straws may be soil-and marine-biodegradable, as well as home-and industrial-compostable.

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 method and assembly for providing multi-stage extrusion of an article exhibiting an open interior. A multi-stage extrusion operation includes a first stage extrusion for receiving an initially extruded or otherwise pre-existing inner sleeve and extruding a surrounding sleeve and a plurality of radially projecting portions. A second stage subsequently extrudes an outer circular sleeve about the radially projecting portions. A third stage extrudes at least one wing portion to an outer edge of the outer circular sleeve.

A polyetheretherketone pipe of length greater than 250 meters and a residual stress of less than 5 MPa may be made using a calibrator device (2) which includes a cone shaped opening (6) arranged to receive a molten extruded pipe shaped polymer. Attached to the front member (4) is a vacuum plate (14a) and successive vacuum plates (14b-14h) are attached to one another to define an array of vacuum plates, the vacuum plates being arranged to allow a vacuum to be applied to a pipe precursor passing through opening (16). The vacuum plates (14) also include (10) temperature control means for heating or cooling the plates and therefore heating or cooling a pipe precursor passing through the openings. With a vacuum applied to opening (6, 16) and heating/cooling the plates, an extruded hot plastics pipe is inserted into calibrator (2) via opening (6) and conveyed through opening (16) in plates (14), whereupon it is urged by the vacuum against the cylindrical surface defined by plates (14) to maintain its shape and the (15) temperature of each plate is controlled to control the rate of cooling of the pipe precursor passing through. The pipe may be cooled at a relatively slow rate so that a pipe made from a relatively fast crystallizing polymer crystallizes and the crystallinity of the pipe along its extent and throughout its thickness is substantially constant.

The invention relates to a method for the extrusion and labelling of a packaging tube (14), comprising the following successive steps performed on an extrusion-labelling line, namely: a) forming a partially or fully tubular label (17) from a film (12); b) introducing the label (17) into a calibration element (22); c) extruding a tubular body (13) on the side of the concave surface of the label (17); d) bringing the external surface of the tubular body (13) into contact with the concave surface of the label (17), step (c) being performed in the calibration element (22). The invention also relates to an extrusion-labelling device and a packaging tube.

The invention relates to a calibrating device and to a method for calibrating a film tube. An elastically deformable element (704) is secured to the sleeve (703) such that a fluid, in particular a gas, preferably air, can be introduced or discharged via a fluid connection such that a specific pressure P1 and/or a specific volume V1 is set in an area (708) enclosed by the sleeve and the elastically deformable element at a given temperature. Annular bodies (706) and (707) are arranged within the area (708), and a surface section of each annular body (706), (707) supports a respective region of the elastically deformable element (704). The elastically deformable element (704) regions which are supported by the annular bodies are located in the inlet region (711) and the outlet region (712) of the calibrating device for the film tube (713).

The present disclosure relates to extrusion coating systems, extrusion coated substrates, and processes for making the same. In some aspects, extrusion coating systems as described herein may include an at least partially insulated outlet wall, which may facilitate production of coated substrates exhibiting a very desirable surface texture and appearance. Coated substrates of the present invention may be utilized in a variety of end applications, including, but not limited to, interior and exterior construction materials for homes, buildings, and furniture.

A device for guiding and/or forming a plastics profile includes a region of alterable cross-section formed by a wound flat element. The wound flat element overlaps in a region and is in close mutual contact in the overlapping region. The wound flat element includes a flexible and resiliently deformable coating thereon. A device is provided for altering the region of alterable cross-section.

The present disclosure relates to extrusion coating systems, extrusion coated substrates, and processes for making the same. In some aspects, extrusion coating systems as described herein may include an at least partially insulated outlet wall, which may facilitate production of coated substrates exhibiting a very desirable surface texture and appearance. Coated substrates of the present invention may be utilized in a variety of end applications, including, but not limited to, interior and exterior construction materials for homes, buildings, and furniture.

Extruded plastic profiles with integrated insulation, the method for extruding such products, and the windows and doors made with such plastic extrusions. The plastic extrusions may additionally include a low heat build-up capstock system comprising an acrylic cap and pigment system that is substantially IR transparent. The extruded plastic profiles with integrated insulation are recyclable using conventional plastic extrusion process and are fully weldable in conventional window and door manufacturing.