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.

The present invention relates to a continuous process for preparing a comb polymer, without organic solvent, by esterification and/or amidification of an acidic homopolymer or copolymer, which consists in performing the esterification and/or amidification of said homopolymer/copolymer by reaction at elevated temperature in the mixing and transportation zone of a tubular reactor, optionally equipped with a water removal system, in the presence of at least one poly(alkylene glycol) in solid or molten form and of an antioxidant, said esterification and/or amidification taking place at a temperature greater than or equal to 170° C.

An ultrafine fiber production device has a first heating unit, a nozzle unit, a hot air heating unit, a hot air blowing unit, a second heating unit, and a fiber collecting unit. The first heating unit melts a thermoplastic resin. The nozzle unit discharges the thermoplastic resin melted by the first heating unit. The hot air blowing unit performs fiber forming by blowing high-temperature gas produced by the hot air heating unit to the melted thermoplastic resin discharged by the nozzle unit and by extending the thermoplastic resin. The second heating unit further heats, extends, and fines produced fibers. The fiber collecting unit collects the thermoplastic resin in a fibrous form which is fined by the second heating unit.

A kneading apparatus for a thermoplastic resin, includes: a plasticizing cylinder which has a high pressure kneading zone and a pressure reduction zone; a screw in the plasticizing cylinder; a downstream side seal mechanism which shuts off communication between the high pressure kneading zone and the pressure reduction zone; and a pressure reduction zone pressure adjusting mechanism which is connected to the pressure reduction zone and which controls a pressure of the pressure reduction zone so that the pressure is not less than an atmospheric pressure and the pressure is not more than a maximum pressure of the high pressure kneading zone that is achieved when kneading a molten resin with a pressurized fluid, when the downstream side seal mechanism shuts off the communication between the high pressure kneading zone and the pressure reduction zone.

A method for producing a film having luminescent particles is described. The method has steps a) mixing a thermoplastic and a luminescent pigment containing a hydroxyalkyl terephthalate of the formulate: R.sub.1—COO—P(OH)x-COO—R.sub.2 and obtaining a thermoplastic mixture; and b) homogenizing the thermoplastic mixture to 150° C. to 200° C. in an extruder, by way of an extrusion nozzle, and obtaining a thermoplastic film.

A consolidation system configured to consolidate a bulk molding compound, the apparatus comprises a barrel, a low compression first stage within the barrel, a high compression second stage within the barrel coupled with the low compression first stage, a die breaker coupled to the high compression second stage, and an extrusion die coupled to the die breaker. The low compression first stage includes a low compression screw for mixing and compressing a bulk molding compound comprising a resin and fillers. The high compression second stage includes a high compression screw for compressing the bulk molding compound into a compressed material. The die breaker comprises at least one of a plurality of holes or a plurality of slots.

A material deposition system for additive manufacturing including an extruder and a measuring device for measuring the viscosity and/or other rheological properties of a build material contained within the extruder. The measuring device may provide feedback to a controller for controlling one or more parameters depending on the measured viscosity and/or other rheological properties of the build material within the extruder. Two or more feed materials may be supplied to the extruder and a mixing device may be configured to mix the feed materials within the extruder to create a blended deposition material. The mixing device may be operatively coupled to the measuring device for simultaneously measuring the viscosity and/or other rheological properties of the materials during mixing. The controller may be configured to independently control one or more parameters associated with the materials depending on the viscosity and/or other rheological properties measured by the measuring device.

The present invention relates to a technical field of 3D printing, and more particularly to a 3D printer spray nozzle structure and a method thereof for controlling speed and precision. According to the present invention, a feeding pipeline is embedded in an external shell, the feeding pipeline and an extruder are coaxially connected; the extruder is driven by a driving device, so as to rotate relative to the feeding pipeline. A rotation angle of the extruder relative to the feeding pipeline is controlled by rotation of a motor, for controlling a filament area actually sprayed by the extrude, in such a manner that printing speed and precision is controlled for suiting different requirements of different printing area. The present invention controls the printing speed and precision, for improving overall printing speed with precision requirements satisfied, and is applicable to 3D printer spray nozzle structure and controlling.

A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.

Methods for improved colorant dispersion in polymer materials using solid-state shear pulverization, as compared to mixing techniques of the prior art, to address concerns relating to colorant agglomeration, plating-out and the like.