An extruder has a barrel extending from a feed inlet end to an extruder outlet end. The barrel has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a wall thickness between the inner and outer surfaces. The extruder also has at least one heating member positioned provided on the barrel; a screw drive motor drivingly connected to a rotatably mounted screw positioned within the barrel, whereby the screw is rotatable at various revolutions per minute (RPM); and a controller is operably connected to the screw drive motor to adjust the RPM of the screw based upon a temperature of material passing through and/or being extruded from the barrel. Methods for operating an extruder filling a mold are also provided.

An extruder has a barrel extending from a feed inlet end to an extruder outlet end. The barrel has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a wall thickness between the inner and outer surfaces. The extruder also has at least one heating member positioned provided on the barrel; a screw drive motor drivingly connected to a rotatably mounted screw positioned within the barrel, whereby the screw is rotatable at various revolutions per minute (RPM); and a controller is operably connected to the screw drive motor to adjust the RPM of the screw based upon a temperature of material passing through and/or being extruded from the barrel. Methods for operating an extruder filling a mold are also provided.

A screw for a plasticating apparatus has one or more helical flights. A portion of the screw has a plurality of advancing grooves arranged in a noncontinuous helix cut in the screw. The advancing grooves are dimensioned to receive material therein as the material is conveyed through the barrel. The screw has a plurality of noncontinuous cross-cut grooves traversing one or more of the advancing grooves. The cross-cut grooves have a second helix angle greater than the first helix angle and less than ninety degrees; and/or one or more of the cross-cut grooves have a third helix angle of about ninety degrees.

The application relates to a plasticizing unit with a cylinder and a screw that is rotatably mounted in the cylinder and has a screw section which is designed as a shearing section and in which a blocking web encircling the screw core in a helical manner and a main screw thread enclosed by the blocking web are provided. A shearing web runs in the main screw thread parallel to the blocking web at a lower height than the blocking web. In this manner, two screw threads are produced which run parallel to each other and are separated by the shearing web. The threads are designed in the form of wave screw threads. Each wave screw thread is equipped with one or more wave peaks with a surface which is designed in the form of a plateau and forms a wave peak shearing surface, wherein the wave peak shearing surface is located at the same height as the surface of the shearing web in the region. The shearing web surface section which lies in the region of a wave peak shearing surface constitutes a shearing web sharing surface. A wave peak shearing surface and a shearing web shearing surface together form a total shearing surface. A specified total shearing surface together with the inner wall of the cylinder forms a shearing gap in accordance with a shearing gap size specified for the total shearing surface.

The application relates to a plasticizing unit with a cylinder and a screw that is rotatably mounted in the cylinder and has a screw section which is designed as a shearing section and in which a blocking web encircling the screw core in a helical manner and a main screw thread enclosed by the blocking web are provided. A shearing web runs in the main screw thread parallel to the blocking web at a lower height than the blocking web. In this manner, two screw threads are produced which run parallel to each other and are separated by the shearing web. The threads are designed in the form of wave screw threads. Each wave screw thread is equipped with one or more wave peaks with a surface which is designed in the form of a plateau and forms a wave peak shearing surface, wherein the wave peak shearing surface is located at the same height as the surface of the shearing web in the region. The shearing web surface section which lies in the region of a wave peak shearing surface constitutes a shearing web sharing surface. A wave peak shearing surface and a shearing web shearing surface together form a total shearing surface. A specified total shearing surface together with the inner wall of the cylinder forms a shearing gap in accordance with a shearing gap size specified for the total shearing surface.

An extruder screw for the plasticizing of at least one plastic material or a plastic material mixture, with a melting zone, a wave zone and a mixing zone arranged between the melting zone and the wave zone, wherein a conveying web extending in a helix-like manner along a screw longitudinal axis is formed in the melting zone and in the wave zone, wherein a conveying web of the melting zone terminates at an end of the melting zone facing the mixing zone, and a conveying web of the wave zone begins at an end facing the mixing zone. The application also relates to an extrusion device with this extruder screw, and a method for plasticizing at least one plastic material or a plastic material mixture.

An extruder screw for the plasticizing of at least one plastic material or a plastic material mixture, with a melting zone, a wave zone and a mixing zone arranged between the melting zone and the wave zone, wherein a conveying web extending in a helix-like manner along a screw longitudinal axis is formed in the melting zone and in the wave zone, wherein a conveying web of the melting zone terminates at an end of the melting zone facing the mixing zone, and a conveying web of the wave zone begins at an end facing the mixing zone. The application also relates to an extrusion device with this extruder screw, and a method for plasticizing at least one plastic material or a plastic material mixture.

An extruder screw for plasticizing at least one plastic or plastic mixture, including a melting zone, a shaft zone and a mixing zone arranged between the melting zone and the shaft zone, wherein a conveying flight is formed in the melting zone and in the shaft zone, which extends helically along a longitudinal axis of the screw, wherein a conveying flight of the melting zone ends at an end of the melting zone towards the mixing zone and a conveying flight of the shaft zone begins at an end towards the mixing zone. A flight depth of the melting zone continuously decreases along the longitudinal axis of the screw to the mixing zone. Further, an extrusion device having the extruder screw and to a method for plasticizing at least one plastic or plastic mixture.

A fractional lobe processor is disclosed. The fractional lobe processor comprises an intake zone comprising at least one deep flighted shovel element on each intermeshing screw for receiving a input blend comprising an active substance and an excipient; a granulation zone consisting of only fractional lobe elements, and having a provision for introducing moisture or a binder solution, for granulating the active substance and the excipient; an optional, drying zone for drying the wet granules; and a discharge zone for discharging the granules; wherein the granulation zone is located before the discharge zone and after the intake zone; wherein the drying zone has one or more fractional lobe elements on each shaft; and wherein the granulation zone has a plurality of fractional lobe elements on each shaft.

A fractional lobe processor is disclosed. The fractional lobe processor comprises an intake zone comprising at least one deep flighted shovel element on each intermeshing screw for receiving a input blend comprising an active substance and an excipient; a granulation zone consisting of only fractional lobe elements, and having a provision for introducing moisture or a binder solution, for granulating the active substance and the excipient; an optional, drying zone for drying the wet granules; and a discharge zone for discharging the granules; wherein the granulation zone is located before the discharge zone and after the intake zone; wherein the drying zone has one or more fractional lobe elements on each shaft; and wherein the granulation zone has a plurality of fractional lobe elements on each shaft.