The material feeding device is configured so that in the state in which a hopper having an opening part and containing a material is attached to a coupling member configured so that the hopper is detachably attached to the coupling member, when the hopper is located in a first area, a first member configured to be able to make a sliding displacement on a slide surface having the first area where a feed hole is disposed makes the sliding displacement to a third area different from the first area to make it possible to take a communicated state in which the opening part and the feed hole are communicated with each other, and when the hopper is located in a second area, the first member makes a sliding displacement to the first area to make it possible to take a non-communicated state in which the first member covers the feed hole. The material feeding device takes the non-communicated state at least when the hopper is detached from the coupling member via a detachably attaching part disposed in the second area extending along a direction in which the first area extends.

A conveying device for conveying a viscous material from a container includes a follower plate that can be inserted into the container, and a pump by means of which the viscous material can be conveyed through the follower plate. Moreover, a measuring chamber for accommodation of a measuring sample of the viscous material is provided. The measuring chamber includes a closable material inlet opening for this purpose. A closable disposal line leads away from the measuring chamber. Moreover, a closable material return line extends from the measuring chamber via the follower plate into the container. The conveying device also includes a controller that is designed and can be operated appropriately such that it determines the compressibility of each of multiple measuring samples. The controller opens the disposal line or the material return line to the measuring sample present in the measuring chamber as a function of the compressibility thus determined.

The material feeding device is configured so that in the state in which a hopper having an opening part and containing a material is attached to a coupling member configured so that the hopper is detachably attached to the coupling member, when the hopper is located in a first area, a first member configured to be able to make a sliding displacement on a slide surface having the first area where a feed hole is disposed makes the sliding displacement to a third area different from the first area to make it possible to take a communicated state in which the opening part and the feed hole are communicated with each other, and when the hopper is located in a second area, the first member makes a sliding displacement to the first area to make it possible to take a non-communicated state in which the first member covers the feed hole. The material feeding device takes the non-communicated state at least when the hopper is detached from the coupling member via a detachably attaching part disposed in the second area extending along a direction in which the first area extends.

A conveying device for conveying a viscous material from a container includes a follower plate that can be inserted into the container, and a pump by means of which the viscous material can be conveyed through the follower plate. Moreover, a measuring chamber for accommodation of a measuring sample of the viscous material is provided. The measuring chamber includes a closable material inlet opening for this purpose. A closable disposal line leads away from the measuring chamber. Moreover, a closable material return line extends from the measuring chamber via the follower plate into the container. The conveying device also includes a controller that is designed and can be operated appropriately such that it determines the compressibility of each of multiple measuring samples. The controller opens the disposal line or the material return line to the measuring sample present in the measuring chamber as a function of the compressibility thus determined.

A system for detecting a filament for printing in three dimensional printing (3DP) which can automatically detect the presence of a filament includes a feeding device, a detection device, a driving device, and an indication module. The driving device drives the feeding device and the detection device detects and determines the normal presence of a filament from the feeding device. The indication module outputs a signal to correspond to the presence of a filament or otherwise. A 3DP filament detection method is also provided.

A system for detecting a filament for printing in three dimensional printing (3DP) which can automatically detect the presence of a filament includes a feeding device, a detection device, a driving device, and an indication module. The driving device drives the feeding device and the detection device detects and determines the normal presence of a filament from the feeding device. The indication module outputs a signal to correspond to the presence of a filament or otherwise. A 3DP filament detection method is also provided.

Method for the quality control and/or tracking of an injection molded part produced in a production cycle using at least one processing machine of the plastic processing industry and a plastic processing facility, in which production devices or stations arranged upstream or downstream are connected together via a network. Each individual injection molded part or a specified number of injection molded parts is assigned a quality value composed of multiple quality values in that each device or station in the production chain ascertains or generates its own quality value and extends same by the transmitted values of each previous device or previous station and forwards same as the new quality value to the following device or following station or in that a separate collecting station, in particular a hardware and software, requests the quality values, the device values and/or material values thereof, from the individual devices or stations or is transmitted thereto, and the collecting station puts said the values into correlation.

A plasticizing unit for a molding machine includes a plasticizing screw arranged in a barrel so as to be rotatably driveable, and the screw is configured to plasticize a material. A feeding device is arranged on a lateral surface of the barrel, and the feeding device is configured to feed the material to be plasticized into the barrel. A dividing device divides the feeding device into two sub-regions. A first sub-region is configured to feed the material to be plasticized into the barrel, and a second sub-region is fluidically connected to a degassing device and/or an opening along the longitudinal axis of the barrel at one end of the barrel, through which opening the plasticizing screw is inserted into the barrel, is fluidically connected to the degassing device. The degassing device is configured to discharge gases generated during the plasticization of the material to be plasticized from the barrel.