A system for producing a homogenous extrudate powder coating composition having predetermined properties, the system comprising a color library database that is configured to store one or more input formulation data objects capable of use in controlling the inputs and operation of an electronically controlled homogenous extrudate mixer.

The present disclosure relates to a film having light transmittance and a manufacturing method thereof. The film includes a Polyurethane (PU) surface layer, and a thermoplastic elastomer layer. The thermoplastic elastomer layer is disposed under the PU surface layer. The thermoplastic elastomer layer includes color masterbatch material. The color masterbatch material is between 0.1-1% weight. By controlling the amount of color masterbatch material in the thermoplastic elastomer layer, the film of the present disclosure has real color appearance and good light transmittance.

The continuity of a functional layer of a web (32, 60, 78) is assessed by forwarding the web, detecting (42, 63) the presence of the functional layer and a discontinuity and/or a thin region in the functional layer, and generating a signal in response to the discontinuity and/or thin region. The functional layer comprises a detectable component (360) in a thermoplastic composition. The detecting is carried out by a machine vision system capable of detecting the detectable component (360) in the functional layer. The detectable component (360) can be active or passive. Also included are systems for carrying out the process.

A process for fabricating a powder coating composition having a desired color from solid input filaments. A plurality of solid input filaments is fed to a mixer in accordance with an input formulation for a color. The input filaments are liquefied at the mixer, and the liquefied input filaments are combined together in the mixer into an extrudate mixture. The extrudate mixture is removed from the mixer, solidified, and then the solidified extrudate mixture is milled into a powder.

A device for controlling a production system for planar or strand-shaped bodies comprises a measurement region and a conveying apparatus configured to convey the body through the measurement region. A transmission apparatus is configured to irradiate the body with measurement radiation in the measurement region. A detection apparatus is configured to detect the measurement radiation reflected by the body. An evaluation apparatus is configured to use the measurement radiation detected by the detection apparatus to determine at least one of: (1) a refractive index of the body; and (2) an absorption of the measurement radiation by the body. A control apparatus is configured to control at least one production parameter of a production system based on the at least one of: (1) the refractive index of the body; and (2) the absorption of the measurement radiation by the body.

Methods of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprise: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) adding one or more color concentrates to the flakes; (E) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder (400) while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion (420) of the MRS extruder (400) below about 25 millibars; (F) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter (450) having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (G) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

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.

A system and process for producing a homogenous extrudate powder coating composition having predetermined properties, the system comprising a color library database that is configured to store one or more input formulation data objects capable of use in controlling the inputs and operation of an electronically controlled homogenous extrudate mixer.

A system for producing a homogenous extrudate powder coating composition having predetermined properties, the system comprising a color library database that is configured to store one or more input formulation data objects capable of use in controlling the inputs and operation of an electronically controlled homogenous extrudate mixer.

A system comprising: (1) a grinding unit configured to receive and grind recycled PET bottles into a group of polymer flakes comprising up to about ten percent colored polymer flakes and balance substantially clear polymer flakes; (2) a washing unit configured to wash the group of polymer flakes; and (3) an extruder configured to extrude material in a plurality of different extrusion streams. The extruder may be further configured to: (1) receive a concentrate-polymer mixture comprising a mixture of the polymer flakes and a color concentrate; (2) melt the concentrate-polymer mixture to produce a polymer melt; (3) reduce a pressure within the extruder; and (4) pass the polymer melt through the extruder so that the polymer melt is divided into the plurality of extrusion streams. The system may then filter the polymer melt through at least one filter and form the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.