Abstract: Injection molding plastic parts includes furnishing resin material to a screw barrel having a rotatable screw therewithin, rotating the screw to work the resin material into a molten state, furnishing additive such as liquid color or another additive to the screw barrel interior at a first rate during screw rotation and driving the screw longitudinally from a first position to a second position to force an additive-resin material mixture resulting from screw rotation into a mold while furnishing additive with resin to the screw barrel interior at a second additive addition rate.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for drying granular resin material by drawing vacuum over heating resin material in a vessel, while periodically purging the vessel with the material therein with dry air and bathing the vacuum dried material with dry air until furnished to a processing machine.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for drying granular resin material by drawing vacuum over heating resin material in a vessel, while periodically purging the vessel with the material therein with dry air and bathing the vacuum dried material with dry air until furnished to a processing machine.

Abstract: A method for managing the supply of liquid color to a process machine utilizes an electronic memory device connected permanently to a container of liquid color and an electronic memory controller that interacts with the electronic memory device, preferably wirelessly over the Internet.

Abstract: Injection molding plastic parts includes furnishing resin material to a screw barrel having a rotatable screw therewithin, rotating the screw to work the resin material into a molten state, furnishing additive such as liquid color or another additive to the screw barrel interior at a first rate during screw rotation and driving the screw longitudinally from a first position to a second position to force an additive-resin material mixture resulting from screw rotation into a mold while furnishing additive with resin to the screw barrel interior at a second additive addition rate.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for drying granular resin material by drawing vacuum over heating resin material in a vessel, while periodically purging the vessel with the material therein with dry air and bathing the vacuum dried material with dry air until furnished to a processing machine.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conveying granular material from a supply to receivers that retain and dispense the material when needed by process machine include a vacuum pump, an air flow limiter connected to the vacuum pump, a first conduit connecting the receivers to the air flow limiter, and a second conduit connecting the material supply to the receivers.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conveying granular plastic resin from a supply to receivers that retain and dispense the resin when needed by process machine include a vacuum pump, an air flow limiter connected to the suction head of the vacuum pump, a first conduit connecting the receivers to the air flow limiter, and a second conduit connecting the resin supply to the receivers.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying granular resin material from one or more supplies to a receptacle adjustably selected from a plurality of receptacles.

Abstract: A pump has a PVC “T” shaped member having an inlet, an outlet and an interior pumping chamber positioned between the inlet and outlet; a piston displaceable into the chamber; an air cylinder for driving the piston into the chamber; a spring for biasing the piston outwardly from the chamber in opposition to force applied by the air cylinder; a washer-urethane disk check valve at the conduit inlet permitting fluid flow into the chamber but precluding fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to piston displacement into the chamber; and a washer-urethane disk check valve at the conduit outlet permitting fluid flow out of the chamber responsively to fluid pressure increase resulting from piston displacement into the chamber.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining flow rate of air or other gas through a conduit independently of conduit cross sectional area include providing apparatus for and measuring temperature of the air or other gas at a first position along the conduit; providing apparatus for and heating the air or other gas in the conduit of the location downstream from the first position by application of a known power level to the air or other gas in the conduit; providing apparatus for and measuring air or other gas temperature at a second position downstream of the heating position along the conduit; providing apparatus for and subtracting air or other gas temperature at the second position from air or other gas temperature at the first position to obtain a temperature difference and thereafter providing apparatus for and dividing power applied to heat the air or other gas by the product of the temperature difference and the specific heat of the air or other gas.