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.

A spinning die for melt-blowing has plastic passages, a hot air passage, and an opening surface, in which discharge ports and blowing ports open. Adjacent and closest two of the discharge ports are first and second proximate discharge ports. One of the blowing ports corresponding to the first proximate discharge port is a first proximate blowing port, and one of the blowing ports corresponding to the second proximate discharge port is a second proximate blowing port. The first proximate blowing port includes a guide portion that projects away from the center of the first proximate discharge port. The guide portion is formed such that, as the distance from the opening surface increases, the hot air flow guided by the guide portion flows to be separated away from the hot air flow blown onto the molten plastic discharged from the second proximate discharge port.

A tubular parison for forming a medical device balloon. The parison is formed of a polymeric material, for instance a thermoplastic elastomer. The parison has an elongation at break which is not more than 80% of the elongation of the bulk polymeric material. The elongation of the parison is controlled by altering extrusion conditions. Balloons prepared from the parisons provide higher wall strength and/or higher inflation durability than balloons prepared from conventional parisons of the same material.

An example extrusion system includes a die including a circular cross-section disposed about an axis, and a plurality of slits disposed in the die and circumferentially spaced about a periphery of the die. Each of the plurality of slits has a generally rectangular cross-section. A ratio of a number of slits comprising the plurality of slits to a distance between the plurality of slits is between approximately 144:1 and 96:1. A method of forming a biodegradable component with an extrusion system is also disclosed.

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.

In a method of manufacturing an object, a filament is fed to an extrusion head. The filament has a semi-crystalline polymeric reinforcement portion and a polymeric 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 reinforcement portion of the partially molten filament remains 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.

A secure extruder device includes a material delivery channel, a nozzle part, a parameter part, a thermal-control part, a material auto-destruction module and/or a parameter auto-destruction module. The material delivery channel is assembled with an extrusion part. The nozzle part is connected to the material delivery channel for ejecting material in the material delivery channel out. The parameter part provides parameters for a printing task to a microcontroller. The thermal-control part heats the nozzle part according to the parameters for the printing task. The material auto-destruction module destroys the material delivery channel after the printing task is completed. The parameter auto-destruction module destroys the parameters for the printing task after the printing task is completed. The microcontroller controls the extrusion part based on the parameters for the printing task so that the extrusion part delivers the material disposed inside the material delivery channel to the nozzle part.

A method for coating a pipe involves applying a coating material of cellular structured extruded thermoplastic material to the pipe and enclosing it on the outside by an outer covering layer of compact plastic. In an extrusion head, the annular opening for supplying coating material can be adjusted to a desired temperature by a region having coolant channels separated from the annular opening by an annular heat exchange surface. Before being applied to the pipe, the flowable coating material is guided along the heat exchange surface and cooled to a temperature just above the solidification temperature thereof. After the coating material leaves the annular opening, the coating material expands in a controlled manner, widening the outer covering layer depending on the adjusted temperature of the coating material, until the coating material begins to solidify. The outer covering layer surface condition can correspond to or be different from the pipe.

A three-dimensional drawing device can include a housing configured for to be held in user's hand, shaped to allow manipulation of the housing like a pen, and configured to accept a strand of thermoplastic material. The drawing device has a nozzle assembly with an exit nozzle and a motor connected to a gear train that engages the strand such that rotation of the motor causes the feed stock to be extruded out of the exit nozzle to form a three-dimensional object. The motor can be controlled using a variable speed control mechanism or first and second actuators, thereby controlling movement of the strand, for example, to advance or retract the strand relative to the nozzle assembly.

A method and apparatus for additive manufacturing that includes a nozzle and/or barrel for extruding a plastic material and a supply of polymeric working material provided to the nozzle, wherein the polymeric working material is magnetically susceptible and/or electrically conductive. A magneto-dynamic heater is provided for producing a time varying, high flux, frequency sweeping, alternating magnetic field in the vicinity of the nozzle to penetrate into and couple the working material to heat the material through at least one of an induced transient magnetic domain and an induced, annular current.