A filament is fed to an extrusion head. The filament has a semi-crystalline polymeric reinforcement portion and a polymeric matrix portion. The reinforcement and matrix portions run continuously along a length of the filament. The reinforcement portion has a higher melting point and a higher crystallinity than the matrix portion. The temperature of the filament is raised in the extrusion head above the melting point of the matrix portion but below the melting point of the reinforcement portion so that the matrix portion of the filament melts within the extrusion head, thereby forming a partially molten filament within the extrusion head. The partially molten filament is extruded from the extrusion head onto a substrate, the reinforcement portion of the partially molten filament remaining in a semi-crystalline state as it is extruded from the extrusion head. Relative movement is generated between the extrusion head and the substrate as the partially molten filament is extruded onto the substrate in order to form an extruded line on the substrate. The matrix portion of the extruded line solidifies after the extruded line has been formed on the substrate.

Apparatus and methods for converting resin into colored finished or semi-finished plastic parts include a process machine having a barrel, a rotatable screw inside the barrel, and a color feed conduit assembly extending into the barrel for passage of liquid color through the color feed conduit assembly into proximity with the screw.

A blowing head, a method for producing a blown film, and a blown film installation include the use of plate spiral distributors in blown film installations for distributing melt steams arriving from extruders and for combining the melt streams to form an annular gap stream in several layers in an annular gap leading to a tubular die. The melt streams in a plate spiral distributor are initially bundled and then forwarded in a bundled manner to a common co-extrusion flow. The distributer has a plurality of spirals in superimposed layers, and the spirals of two layers have a junction for pre-combining the melt streams of two layers, and in that starting from the junction, a common guide leading to the annular gap is provided for combining there the pre-combined melt streams with the annular gap stream.

Methods for extrusion of polyolefins (112 ) that control specific energy input to the extruder (102 ) for gel reduction. Disclosed herein is an example method for forming plastic products (120, 208 ) with reduced gels, comprising: melting a polyolefin resin (112 ) in extruder (102 ) to form a melt; adjusting specific energy input in the extruder (102 ) to reduce gels in the melt; and forming the melt into a polyolefin product (120, 208 ). Disclosed herein is also an example method for forming plastic products (120, 20 ) with reduced gels, comprising: melting a polyolefin resin in extruder (102 ) to form a melt; selecting a throttle valve (104 ) position for gel reduction; setting the throttle valve (104 ) at the selected throttle valve (104 ) position to restrict flow of the melt out of the extruder (102 ); and forming the melt into a polyolefin product (120, 208 ).

Methods for extrusion of polyolefins (110) that utilize melt temperature to control molecular weight and also reduce gels. Disclosed herein is an example method for controlling polymer chain scission in an extrusion system (100), comprising: melting a polyolefin resin (110) in extruder (102) at a first melt temperature to form a first melt (112); passing the first melt (112) through a screen pack (106); forming the first melt 112) into a first polyolefin product (116, 118); melting additional polyolefin resin (110) of the same grade in the extruder (102) at a second melt temperature to form a second melt (112), wherein the second melt temperature differs from the first melt temperature by 5° C. or more to control chain scission in the extruder (102); passing the second melt (112) through the screen pack (106); and forming the second melt (112) into a second polyolefin product (116, 118).

A modular plastic pipe formation apparatus, wherein at least two components of the pipe formation apparatus are disposed with respect to at least one or more respective modules.

A method of manufacturing a biodegradable dry cleaning bag is disclosed, the method including loading an environmentally friendly slurry into a hopper, extruding the environmentally friendly slurry, passing the environmentally friendly slurry through a die, inflating the environmentally friendly slurry into a cylindrical shape, thereby creating a cylindrical member, passing the cylindrical member over a first roller, and rolling the cylindrical member onto a roll.

Disclosed apparatus and method to extrude a honeycomb, providing correction in bowing of the extruded honeycomb structure, employs a deflector device having a base plate including an opening aligned in a direction parallel to the extrusion axis through which the plastic material is conveyed to the die. The deflector device includes a bow plate movably mounted to the downstream or upstream side of the base plate. The bow plate includes a constant area aperture. The deflector device positioned upstream of extrusion die imparts a degree of bow reduction by the position of the constant area aperture over the opening imparting a pressure drop gradient on the flow stream entering the die.

A printing system includes a printing assembly and a gas delivery system includes a gas nozzle assembly. The print assembly and gas nozzle assembly may include a first portion and a second portion that may translate with respect to each other. When the first portion is subjected to a sufficient force the first portion may translate with respect to the second portion.

Disclosed are embodiments of a three-dimensional (3D) printer for building 3D objects with layer based, additive manufacturing techniques. The hot end can be moved in a horizontal plane parallel a planar printing surface of the printing bed while the printing bed can be moved perpendicular to the planar printing surface to print a 3D object. The hot end can be part of an extrusion guide assembly. The 3D printer can auto-level the printing bed.