Abstract: A shaped body made from a plurality of granulate beads of biodegradable material. The beads are subjected to either hot air or steam having relative residual moisture content of 0.5 to 2%. As a result, the beads have at least a part of their surface dissolved forming an adhesive surface. Adjacent adhesive surfaces are then bonded to each other to form the shaped body.

Abstract: In a case of a process for producing pourable spherical-segment-shaped packing material particles made of a plastic material which have an external convex and an internal concave surface, the plastic material is fed in by means of a feeding funnel through an opening in a bush surrounding the extrusion screw. The plastic material is plasticized and, because of the difference in speed existing over the cross section of the mass, comes out of an opening in the die with a bent surface. The extruded plastic material is cut off directly at the opening of the die and before any considerable expansion has taken place. In this case, the plastic material is pulled into a space between the extrusion screw and a bush (28) provided with longitudinal grooves (35) in the material pull-in zone (13). The result is a possibility for some of the plastic granules to escape into the longitudinal grooves (35) and an increased and steadier transport of material through the extruder (FIG. 1).

Abstract: In the case of a process for producing pourable spherical-segment-shaped packing material particles (18) made of plastic which have an external convex and an internal concave surface, the plastic material is mixed with additives, such as bubble forming agents, coloring pigments and similar agents. The plastic material is fed, by means of a feeding funnel (17) into an extruder (14) through an opening in a bush (13) surrounding the extrusion screw. The plastic material plasticizes over the course of the extruder (14) and, because of the difference in speed existing over the cross section of the mass, comes out of an opening (15) in the die with a bent surface. The plastic material is cut off directly at the opening (15) of the die and before any considerable expansion has taken place. Before the processing of the plastic granules in the extruder (14) a bubble-forming agent (nucleation agent) is applied to their surface in a drum (5).