The present disclosure relates to a method and an extrusion line in which an additive content, in particular, a carbon black content, can be determined inline during extrusion of an extrusion product. For this purpose, an initial measurement is carried out in which a layer thickness and a refractive index of the extrusion product are determined, whereupon a continuous in-line measurement of the current additive content is carried out by a stationary radar measuring device. Thus, the layer thickness is set and the additive content is determined directly by the radar measuring device and controlled by setting the additive feed rate, in particular as a close-loop control.

Systems and methods for rapid measurement of the chemical and structural properties of plastic articles are provided. The systems and methods involve measuring both mechanical deformation of the plastic article and x-ray fluorescence of the plastic article in order to determine changes in composition as a result of contamination and/or issues associated with plastic article manufacturing lines. The systems and methods can be performed in minutes, compared to hours or days for typical testing methods.

Systems and approaches for controlling an injection molding machine having a mold forming a mold cavity and being controlled according to an injection cycle include extruding a molten polymer according to an extrusion profile and measuring at least one variable during the extrusion profile with a first sensor. At least one extrusion operational parameter is adjusted based on the measured variable. The extrusion profile is terminated upon the molten polymer exceeding a first threshold, and the molten polymer is injected into the mold cavity according to an injection profile via a screw that moves from a first position to a second position. Upon completion of the injection profile, a recovery profile commences in which the screw is moved to the first position.

An apparatus (1) for optical inspection of a mass of polymeric material (2) passing through an extruder (3) having a hollow extrusion cylinder (4) extending elongately in a longitudinal direction comprises an optical sensor (8) which can be operatively coupled to the extrusion cylinder (4) and having an infrared light emitter (8a) and a receiver (8b) configured to measure a measurement parameter representing an optical property of the polymeric material (2) inside the extrusion cylinder (4) and is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of the optical sensors (8) which can be operatively coupled to the extrusion cylinder (4) in a plurality of measurement sites located in succession and spaced from each other along the longitudinal direction and a processor (9) programmed to acquire a plurality of measurement signals containing the measurement parameters measured by the corresponding optical sensors (8) and programmed to process the plurality of measurement signals in order to calculate a corresponding plurality of values of a control parameter indicating a physical state of the polymeric material (2) as a function of a longitudinal position.

A testing apparatus for obtaining mechanical properties of a polymer composite extruded from a nozzle of a compounding extruder includes a plurality of pairs of roller units that roll the polymer composite along a first direction. Each of the pairs of roller units includes a first roller unit and a second roller unit disposed such that a center of the first roller unit and a center of the second roller unit are separated by a predetermined distance in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The pairs of roller units are disposed along the first direction such that the predetermined distance of each of the pairs of roller units increases stepwise along the first direction. The pairs of roller units strain a vulnerable portion of the polymer composite in the second direction. The testing apparatus further includes a sensor that measures stress in the vulnerable portion.

A method of manufacturing a polymer film includes melting a resin, extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film, shaping the polymer film, cooling the polymer film, capturing an image of a test pattern through the polymer film, calculating a modulation transfer function value from the image, and adjusting a process parameter of the melting, the extruding, the shaping, or the cooling based on the calculated modulation transfer function value.

The present invention provides a method for improving visibility of an image display device which is capable of providing an image display device excellent in anti-reflection properties and bright-field contrast even using an optical layered body including a light-transmitting substrate having in-plane birefringence, such as a polyester film. The method of the present invention is a method for improving visibility of an image display device that has an optical layered body including a light-transmitting substrate having in-plane birefringence and an optical functional layer disposed on one surface of the substrate. The method includes the step of disposing the optical layered body such that the slow axis showing a greater refractive index of the light-transmitting substrate is in parallel with the vertical direction of a display screen of the image display device.

Methods for producing transparent polycarbonate articles include melting a composition at a temperature of 300 to 390 C., extruding the melted composition to form a strand, cooling the strand of extruded composition, cutting the cooled strand into pellets, drying the pellets at a temperature of 50 to 140 C. and injecting molding or extruding the pellets at a temperature of 300 to 380 C. to form an article. The composition can comprise a moisture content of 0.1 to 5 wt. % and a crystalline additive having a melting point of at least 280 C., a heat of fusion greater than or equal to 1.0 Joule/gram (J/g). The composition can be cooled to at least 20 C. below the glass transition temperature of the polycarbonate.

A method is disclosed for determining at least one geometric parameter of an object comprising a molten component. The method includes determining a relationship between a refractive index of the object and a shrinkage occurring during a solidification of the object. The refractive index and at least one geometric parameter of the object comprising the molten component is determined using a measuring apparatus. At least one geometric parameter of the solidified object from the refractive index and the at least one geometric parameter of the object comprising the molten component is determined using the measuring apparatus and taking into account the determined relationship between the refractive index of the object and the shrinkage occurring during the solidification of the object.

Systems and approaches for controlling an injection molding machine having a mold forming a mold cavity and being controlled according to an injection cycle include extruding a molten polymer according to an extrusion profile and measuring at least one variable during the extrusion profile with a first sensor. At least one extrusion operational parameter is adjusted based on the measured variable. The extrusion profile is terminated upon the molten polymer exceeding a first threshold, and the molten polymer is injected into the mold cavity according to an injection profile via a screw that moves from a first position to a second position. Upon completion of the injection profile, a recovery profile commences in which the screw is moved to the first position.