A crystallinity measurement device includes a Raman spectroscopy unit configured to acquire a Raman spectrum of resin-containing material including crystalline thermoplastic resin; and an analysis unit configured to calculate crystallinity of the crystalline thermoplastic resin based on an intensity of a low-wavenumber spectrum that is a spectrum in a region of less than 600 cm.sup.−1, in the Raman spectrum.

The present invention relates to a hitch step that may be secured to a vehicle in a hitch receiver, and a method of manufacturing the same, that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. The present invention provides a multi-step pressurization method that produces a strong, compact hitch step that is cost effect to manufacture.

A polymeric material includes a semi-crystalline polymer and a secondary material wherein when the secondary material is combined with the semi-crystalline polymer to form a blend having an enthalpy that is between about 2 J/g heat of fusion and about 80% of the heat of fusion of the neat semi-crystalline material, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) when cooling from a melting temperature to a hot crystalline temperature at a rate of 10° C./min.

To produce a product from a fibrous non-woven which is formed from cross-linked fibers, at least one ambient condition of the fibrous non-woven is controlled during a recrystallization of a material comprised by the fibrous non-woven

A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system includes providing a consumable feedstock material comprising a semi-crystalline polymer containing one or more secondary materials, wherein the consumable feedstock material has a process window in which crystalline kinetics are either accelerated or retarded. The consumable feedstock material is melted in the additive manufacturing system. At least a portion of the three-dimensional part from the melted consumable feedstock material in a build environment maintained within the process window.

A polyetheretherketone pipe of length greater than 250 meters and a residual stress of less than 5 MPa may be made using a calibrator device 2 which includes a cone shaped opening 6 arranged to receive a molten extruded pipe shaped polymer. Attached to the front member 4 is a vacuum plate 14a and successive vacuum plates 14b-14h are attached to one another to define an array of vacuum plates, the vacuum plates being arranged to allow a vacuum to be applied to a pipe precursor passing through opening 16. The vacuum plates 14 also include temperature control means for heating or cooling the plates and therefore heating or cooling a pipe precursor passing through the openings. With a vacuum applied to opening 6, 16 and heating/cooling the plates, an extruded hot plastics pipe is inserted into calibrator 2 via opening 6 and conveyed through opening 16 in plates 14, whereupon it is urged by the vacuum against the cylindrical surface defined by plates 14 to maintain its shape and the temperature of each plate is controlled to control the rate of cooling of the pipe precursor passing through. The pipe may be cooled at a relatively slow rate so that a pipe made from a relatively fast crystallising polymer crystalises and the crystallinity of the pipe along its extent and throughout its thickness is substantially constant.

The present invention relates to a process for continuous production of partly crystalline polycondensate pellet material, comprising the steps of forming a polycondensate melt into pellet material; separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material in a first treatment space, wherein the pellets after exit from the first treatment space exhibit a temperature T.sub.GR, and crystallizing the pellet material in a second treatment space, wherein in the second treatment space fluidized bed conditions exist, and in the second treatment space the pellets are heated by supply of energy from the exterior by means of a process gas.

Polymer articles and processes of forming polymer articles are described herein. The processes generally include providing a propylene based polymer formed from a metallocene catalyst and melt processing the propylene based polymer to form a polymer article.

A distributed acoustic sensing cable package having a polymer composite extruded over an optical waveguide to encase the waveguide and to form a crystalline matrix layer acoustically coupled to the waveguide. The crystalline matrix includes reinforcement fibers to further enhance transmission of a cable strain to the optical waveguide. During manufacture of the cable, the polymer composite may be extruded over the optical waveguide and subsequently subjected to heat treatment to increase the crystallinity of the polymer composite and increase the elastic modulus. Both axial and radial strain fields are effectively interact with cased fiber waveguide for producing measurable phase shift signal for distributed acoustic noise detection.

A fluid container having a proximal end having an end wall, a distal end having an open-ended neck, and a sidewall extending between the proximal end and the distal end along a longitudinal axis is described. A localized crystallinity of a polymeric material of the fluid container of at least a first region of the fluid container is greater than a crystallinity of a polymeric material of the fluid container of at least a second region. Examples of fluid containers include medical fluid containers, such as medical bottles and syringes, including rolling diaphragm-type syringes, and commercial beverage containers Articles of manufacturer formed form a polymeric material and having regions with increased localized polymeric crystallinity are also described.