Abstract: An extrusion process and apparatus is described for the manufacture of a thermoplastic resin-filler composite product having a desired resin-filler mixture comprised of 60-20% by weight of a thermoplastic resin and 40-80% by weight of a filler. A resin-filler mixture, in homogeneous form, is extruded through a die at a temperature above the softening point of the resin to form an extrudate having a desired cross-sectional shape. The extrudate is then passed through a die land at a temperature of above the softening point. From the die land the extrudate is cooled in a cooled shaper and transferred thereto through a thermal barrier insert member which is disposed in contact between the die land and the cooled shaper whereby radial pressure to counteract radial expansion tendencies of the extrudate is maintained during the passage. The cooled shaper cools the extrudate to a temperature of about at least 20° C. below the softening point of the resin.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process and apparatus for the continuous production of a thermoplastic product having biaxially oriented components. Preferably the thermoplastic compound includes filler. The process may be used to manufacture hollow profiles or sheets. The product is made by a continuous extrusion process which biaxially orients the components by forcing a molten thermoplastic compound through a contoured die with a contoured mandrel therein and then cooling the compound to preserve the imparted orientation. With respect to the sheets a biaxially oriented hollow profile is formed, then cut along the axial direction and then flattened into a sheet.

Abstract: High molecular weight polyethylene products of high strength, good thermal resistance and creep resistance process in which the polyethylene is melt drawn in a multiple-stage drawing process in which the polyethylene extrudate is treated sequentially by a first drawing process which uses an elongating draw at an elongation strain rate of from about 0.03 to 0.5 S.sup.-1, a subsequent stage of elongating draw at a lower elongational strain rate, whilst subjecting the extruded polyethylene to UV crosslinking during the subsequent stage of elongating draw at lower elongational strain rate.