Abstract: A dough dividing device has a housing. Arranged therein is a feed chamber, for feeding dough, and a delivery chamber, which is arranged downstream and in delivery communication with the feed chamber. A delivery piston is arranged in a displaceably driven manner inside the delivery chamber for delivering dough. A measuring chamber is arranged downstream of the delivery chamber. In an extended delivery position a face of the delivery piston is arranged in a passage chamber between the delivery chamber and the measuring chamber. The passage chamber is delimited by a wall which extends circumferentially around the piston face. At least one degassing channel serves for degassing the measuring chamber. In the delivery position of the delivery piston the degassing channel is arranged between the piston face and the passage-chamber wall and creates a gas connection between the measuring chamber and a surrounding area.

Abstract: In a first aspect the present invention relates to a pellet mill (10) comprising a die (30) having a first surface (34) and a second surface (36), the die further comprising press holes (38) extending from the first surface to the second surface, at least one roller (50) configured to roll over the first surface for forcing a pelletizable material, forming a feed layer (2) on the first surface, through the press holes to the second surface, and a nozzle (82) configured to provide an additive fluid (4) directly into the nip (86) between the at least one roller and the first surface. In a second aspect the present invention relates to a method of producing pellets, and in a third aspect the present invention related to method of retrofitting a pellet mill.

Abstract: The disclosure proposes a fiberboard made of lignocellulose-containing fibers, in particular wood fibers and a binding agent for providing a fiberboard which enables to combine a high stability, on the one hand, and a comparatively small weight, on the other hand, and which can nevertheless be manufactured with a minor financial effort.

Abstract: In a three-dimensional shaping device, a region of an elevatable/lowerable table 2 for forming a powder layer and a region of a powder supply device are divided by a shield plate, an inert gas injection port is provided in the former region, the shield plate can be freely opened or closed so that a powder spraying squeegee traveling on the table is passed through, or a pipe which supplies powder from the powder supply device to the powder spraying squeegee which has traveled to the side of the shield plate penetrates through the shield plate, or a part of the shield plate is the powder supply port for the powder spraying squeegee which has traveled to the side of the shield plate and the pipe protrudes at a lower part and a sintering device applies a laser beam via a transparent region in a ceiling of a chamber.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is a device for moving a load and for the control thereof, particularly for regulating the positioning and/or orientation of a first plane, for example that is integral with an automatic machine, with respect to a reference plane or direction, for example that of the force of gravity. More specifically, the present invention consists of a device that makes it possible to move at least a number of points of the lower portion of an automatic machine and/or of the surface of an object along at least one axis (C), so as to regulate the orientation and/or inclination of the machine and/or object with respect to a reference direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material is provided that includes an un-heated hopper having an inlet for receiving particles of a thermoplastic material and an outlet for discharging the particles and a heated manifold including at least one cavity formed therein and having an inlet and an outlet the inlet communicating with the outlet of the hopper for receipt of the particles from the hopper. The hopper is disposed external of the heated manifold. The heated manifold is effective for melting the particles into molten thermoplastic material therein. The apparatus further includes a pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the cavity. An outlet of the pump is in fluid communication with an inlet of a dispenser and an outlet of the dispenser is effective for dispensing the molten thermoplastic material therethrough.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion of the MRS extruder below about 5 millibars; (E) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (F) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing and treating plastic pellets. According to said method, a melt of the plastic material is granulated to give pellets, the pellets are cooled in a cooling fluid, the pellets are separated from the cooling fluid and the pellets are crystallized. The device according to the invention is characterized by comprising a control unit which monitors the crystallization step and controls the method in such a manner that, in case of a disturbance of crystallization, the pellets are supplied to an intermediate storage alter separation of the pellets from the cooling fluid and, as soon as the disturbance is removed, the pellets temporarily stored in the intermediate storage are supplied to crystallization and are crystallized.

Abstract: A system for making PET objects including a means for reacting a first PET precursor and a second PET precursor to produce a PET melt; a means for flowing the PET melt to a valve having at least two outlets; a means for flowing the PET melt from at least one of the at least two outlets to at least one die forming line and one pelletizing (cutter) line. A means for controlling individually the mass flow of the PET melt in each of the at least two system lines independently of the other and a means for forming the PET objects from the PET melt. The control scheme is a combination of a feed forward system as well as a feedback loop. The entire control scheme is part of the overall system PLC. The fine tuning of the pressure at the outlet of the die forming loop is controllers to less than +/?1 bar to obtain maximum control of formed part.

Abstract: A method and a machine that account for changes in material properties of molten plastic material during an injection run. If viscosity of the molten plastic material changes during an injection run, a controller alters an injection pressure to ensure that molten plastic material fills a mold cavity within a correct amount of time to prevent part flaws such as short shots or flashing.

Abstract: A printing head for a printing system is disclosed. The printing head comprises a plurality of compartments, each having an outlet port for depositing liquid and an inlet port separately connectable to a separate liquid container. At least two compartments are in controllable fluid communication with each other, and the printing head comprises an arrangement of sensors configured for generating signals indicative of (i) a filling state of each compartment, and (ii) a fluid communication state between the at least two compartments.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing concrete blocks, particularly paving stones, building blocks or the like, comprising a storage container forming a receiving chamber for a plurality of layers of concrete in different colors. Dispensing means are provided, in order to dispense partial amounts of the layers from the receiving chamber such that a release device connected downstream receives a mixture of the layers of concrete in different colors. At least a partial section of a side wall of the receiving chamber is provided with at least one dispensing opening for dispensing a partial amount of the layers. The size of the passage of the dispensing opening can be varied by the dispensing means.

Abstract: A control and actuation system is provided for a molding machine for producing expanded-grain cakes. The system includes a control unit, a temperature-regulated heating system, multiple motors operated by the control unit for separately actuating mechanical functions, multiple sensors for providing grain level and mechanism positional data to the control unit, control inputs for programming and otherwise providing input to the control unit, and a display device allowing the control unit to provide operational status information. The control unit regulates the thermal energy input to the mold, the molding cycle frequency, and the size of the grain charge. Several interrupts are used to ensure conformance to the control parameters and to enhance operator safety.

Abstract: A system for making PET objects including a means for reacting a first PET precursor and a second PET precursor to produce a PET melt; a means for flowing the PET melt to a valve having at least two outlets; a means for flowing the PET melt from at least one of the at least two outlets to at least one distribution manifold, each of the at least one distribution manifold having at least two distribution lines; a means for controlling individually the mass flow of the PET melt in each of the at least two distribution lines independently of the other of the at least two distribution lines; and a means for forming the PET objects from the PET melt.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing and treating plastic pellets. According to said method, a melt of the plastic material is granulated to give pellets, the pellets are cooled in a cooling fluid, the pellets are separated from the cooling fluid and the pellets are crystallized. The device according to the invention is characterized by comprising a control unit which monitors the crystallization step and controls the method in such a manner that in case of a disturbance of crystallization the pellets are supplied to an intermediate storage after separation of the pellets from the cooling fluid and as soon as the disturbance is removed, the pellets temporarily stored in the intermediate storage are supplied to crystallization and are crystallized.

Abstract: A method of casting a plastic lens starting material liquid using a casting apparatus comprising at least a mixing and discharging part and a casting part, and casting a plastic lens starting material liquid sequentially into multiple casting molds.

Abstract: A dry fabric seal for use with tooling for liquid resin molding processes and a method for creating the seal are disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the seal comprises an annular resin reservoir, a level of resin within the reservoir, a device for controlling the resin level, and a perforated pressure plate that forms one wall of the reservoir. The seal is created by controlling the level of resin between the tooling (e.g., the inner and outer molds, etc.) so that air cannot leak in (for vacuum processes) or out (for pressurized processes) between the fibers in the fabric near the top of the molds.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming desired patterns on ceramic tile from a slurry comprising: a means for preparing a slurry; at least one slurry holding tank for holding at least one type of slurry; at least one pattern forming tray; at least one means for connecting said at least one tank to at least one pattern forming tray and a filter pressing unit; wherein the pattern forming unit dispenses a predetermined type, amount, colors of slurry at a predetermined order into the pattern forming tray to form a desired pattern, said slurry with desired pattern is pressed with the filter pressing unit to form ceramic tiles or slabs with a desired pattern running though its entire thickness.

Abstract: An injection molding system (20) is provided including an extruder unit (22) having an injection actuator (38) for injecting a melt into a mold assembly (40); and a clamping unit (24), the clamping unit (24) configured to retain the mold assembly (40) during injection. A power pack (46) is provided, including a fixed-target accumulator assembly (62) operable to discharge hydraulic fluid at a fixed hydraulic pressure to the clamping unit (24) and a first pump being connected with the clamping unit (24), the first pump operable for charging the fixed-target accumulator assembly (62) to the fixed hydraulic pressure. The power pack (46) also includes a variable-target accumulator assembly (66) operable to discharge hydraulic fluid at a variable hydraulic pressure to the injection actuator (38) during the molding cycle; and a second pump connected to the variable-target accumulator assembly (66), the second pump operable for charging the variable-target accumulator assembly (66) to the variable hydraulic pressure.

Abstract: A head assembly (10) is provided for use in a rotary head extruder (12) for extruding a food product. The head assembly (10) includes an annular-shaped stator plate (20) and a rotating blade plate (22). The blade plate (22) preferably includes at least six blades, each with a wedge shaped profile, and the stator plate (20) includes extrusion channels that extend at an angle in the range of 20°-50° from tangent to a circle defined by an inner surface (30) of the plate (20).

Abstract: A process for the production of virtually full density polyolefin suitable for further processing by drawing to form a high tenacity, highly oriented polyolefin sheet comprising: a) feeding a metered amount of polyolefin powder into the nip between two heated calender rolls; b) rolling the powder through the nip under these conditions until a coherent sheet of polyolefin is produced. According to a highly preferred embodiment, initially, the nip is set at a gap smaller than the size of the smallest polyolefin powder particle and at a temperature above the melting point of the powder and once a coherent sheet of polyolefin exits the nip the temperature in the nip is lowered to a temperature below the melting point of the polyolefin powder and the gap increased to a desired level above the thickness of the largest powder particle.

Abstract: In a computing system, a method and system for a thin client and blade architecture are provided. A blade may generate video, audio, and peripheral control information that may be transmitted to a thin client (TC) by utilizing a video encoder, an audio bridge, and a peripheral bridge. Communication between the blade and the TC may occur based on a communication protocol that may operate independently of an operating system and/or applications running on the blade. The video encoder may dynamically compress the video information according to network capacity and/or video content and may dynamically select from various compression algorithms. The blade may configure and manage operations that interface with the TC. The TC may comprise a video decoder, a transceiver, a processor, a video display bridge, an audio bridge, and a peripheral bridge and may be adapted to communicate with peripheral devices.

Abstract: A control and actuation system is provided for a molding machine for producing expanded-grain cakes. The system includes a control unit, a temperature-regulated heating system, multiple motors operated by the control unit for separately actuating mechanical functions, multiple sensors for providing grain level and mechanism positional data to the control unit, control inputs for programming and otherwise providing input to the control unit, and a display device allowing the control unit to provide operational status information. The control unit regulates the thermal energy input to the mold, the molding cycle frequency, and the size of the grain charge. Several interrupts are used to ensure conformance to the control parameters and to enhance operator safety.

Abstract: An exemplary molding material feeding barrel includes a main body, a blocking member, and an electrically conductive member. The main body has a chamber defined therein. The main body has a first inner surface in the chamber. The blocking member protrudes inward from the first inner surface of the main body. The electrically conductive member has a first end exposed at an inside of the main body, and a second end grounded.

Abstract: A concrete dispensing apparatus is used in a manufacturing process for producing pre-cast concrete structures, which are conventionally used to form a foundation for a residential or commercial building. The dispensing apparatus includes a hopper that funnels to a discharge opening extending along the entire transverse length of the dispensing apparatus. A plurality of individually controlled gates cover the entire discharge opening for selectively controlling the length and location of the discharge opening through which concrete is dispensed. The dispensing apparatus also includes a finishing mechanism including a vibratory screed and a rotational finishing roller. The form can be moved relative to the dispensing apparatus or vice versa. A form vibrator induces a vibratory motion into the form to remove air from the dispensed concrete mixture.

Abstract: In a sheet forming device having a supplying unit (1) for extruding an amount of plastically deformable material (W), a storing unit (3) for temporally storing the material (W) extruded from the supplying unit (1), and a rolling unit (2) for rolling the material (W) stored in the storing unit (3) into a sheet form, the device comprises a pressing mechanism (4) for pressing the material (W) stored in the storing unit (3) from the upper side thereof with a preset pressure, wherein a pressing member (41) constituting the pressing mechanism (4) has a pressing face (41a) whose area is set to from 30 to 95% of the area of an upper opening portion (31) of the storing unit (3).

Abstract: A fluorescence-containing material injection apparatus of the present invention includes a fluorescence-containing material temperature control section, a fluorescence-containing material stirring section, a fluorescence-containing material remaining amount sensor, and a fluorescence-containing material injection amount adjustment section, by which disproportion in the mixture ratio of contaminates in a fluorescence-containing material M is restrained. This makes it possible to evenly apply a fluorescence-containing material onto a semiconductor light emitting element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for moulding an article by feeding molten plastics material into a metering cavity (16), feeding a predetermined quantity of the material from the metering cavity into a mould cavity via a transition passage (26) adjacent the mould cavity and urging the molten plastics material from the transition passage into the mould cavity with a working stroke of a packing piston (24), until the packing piston closes a port (28) defined between the transition passage and the mould cavity and a leading face (32) of the packing piston forms part of the peripheral wall of the mould. Less than ninety percent of the mould cavity is filled with the molten plastics material when the packing piston starts its working stroke and the packing piston starts its working stroke while molten plastics material is still being fed from the metering cavity.

Abstract: A control unit for a powder material compression molding machine including a powder material compressor which compresses a powder material filled between compressing members in an adjusted filled amount by making the compressing members approach to each other at a predetermined interval, so as to mold a molded product, and a pressure detector which detects a powder material compressing pressure by the powder material compressor. The control unit including a weight determiner which determines that the weight of filled powder material is normal, a thickness determiner which determines that the thickness of the molded product is abnormal in the case where the pressure detected by the pressure detector falls out of a first predetermined range when the weight determiner determines normality, and a compression controller which controls the powder material compressor when the thickness determiner determines abnormality.

Abstract: An extrusion system and method uses an accumulator to control and use excess plastic melt. The accumulator is situated between an extruder and a gear pump. The accumulator includes an accumulator housing to store excess plastic melt from the extruder and an accumulator spring connected to an accumulator piston to subsequently send the excess plastic melt to the gear pump. In another embodiment, the accumulator includes an accumulator housing to store excess plastic melt from the extruder and a hydraulics system to send the excess plastic melt to the gear pump. The accumulator can be a first in first out (FIFO) device having a melt passage through the accumulator piston. The system and method are used particularly advantageously in Alternate Polymer extrusion installation in which gear pumps regularly increase and decrease their speed but in which the melt-supplying extruder cannot accommodate such rapid speed changes.

Abstract: An exemplary molding material feeding barrel includes a main body, a blocking member, and an electrically conductive member. The main body has a chamber defined therein. The main body has a first inner surface in the chamber. The blocking member protrudes inward from the first inner surface of the main body. The electrically conductive member has a first end exposed at an inside of the main body, and a second end grounded.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of feeding powders to a subsequent processing step. In particular, the apparatus includes a first hopper, a first metering brush feed, an intermediate chamber, a second distribution brush, a level sensor, and a supply hopper to deliver powder to a pair of rollers. In one embodiment, the hopper is fitted to the roller diameter to produce a uniform, ribbon or free-standing sheets suitable for air-breathing battery and fuel cell electrodes.

Abstract: A dry fabric seal for use with tooling for liquid resin molding processes and a method for creating the seal are disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the seal comprises an annular resin reservoir, a level of resin within the reservoir, a device for controlling the resin level, and a perforated pressure plate that forms one wall of the reservoir. The seal is created by controlling the level of resin between the tooling (e.g., the inner and outer molds, etc.) so that air cannot leak in (for vacuum processes) or out (for pressurized processes) between the fibers in the fabric near the top of the molds.

Abstract: A remote-supervisory flaskless molding machine, wherein the fluid pressures of first fluid cylinders (122) and (123) moving a cope (102) and a drag (103) close to and apart from each other, a second fluid cylinder (110) rotating the cope, the drag, and a match plate (105), a third fluid cylinder (129) separating an upper flask from the match plate, and a fourth fluid cylinder (138) extracting the cope and the drag from the upper flask (102) and a lower flask (103) in pairs and the pressure of a compressed air in a filling mechanism (11) filing a foundry sand to the upper and lower flasks by the compressed air are measured by sensors. The measured values by these sensors are transmitted to a monitoring tool (32) by a transmitter (31) through the Internet or an intranet (33) where these values are analyzed and the analyzed results are displayed.

Abstract: A preferred process for degassing a mold piece includes inserting the mold piece into an internal volume within a canister, sealing the internal volume, drawing a vacuum in the internal volume, and introducing into the internal volume a gaseous fluid suitable for degassing the mold piece.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for moulding an article by feeding molten plastics material into a metering cavity (16), feeding a predetermined quantity of the material from the metering cavity into a mould cavity via a transition passage (26) adjacent the mould cavity and urging the molten plastics material from the transition passage into the mould cavity with a working stroke of a packing piston (24), until the packing piston closes a port (28) defined between the transition passage and the mould cavity and a leading face (32) of the packing piston forms part of the peripheral wall of the mould. Less than ninety percent of the mould cavity is filled with the molten plastics material when the packing piston starts its working stroke and the packing piston starts its working stroke while molten plastics material is still being fed from the metering cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a resin supplying mechanism supplying a resin material to a molding assembly. A supplying portion of the resin supplying mechanism is provided with a resin tray. The resin tray includes a tray slit member having a plurality of openings extending in a direction perpendicular to the opening direction of a shutter. The resin material in a required amount is guided into the plurality of openings of the slit member, and thereafter, substantially simultaneously with the shutter being opened, supplied to a cavity space portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for controlling the quality of a product produced by an injection molding production process. The invention includes performing a multivariate analysis on injection molding process data collected real-time and determining whether the real-time data is within a predetermined production control limit. When the real-time production data exceeds the control limit, the process is considered out of control and product produced during the out of control condition is removed real-time from the injection molding production process.

Abstract: The invention provides an injection molding capable of adjusting a detection level with a simple structure and detecting a deposit level of the resin pellets near a plasticizing screw. A cooling jacket is mounted so that a resin supplying hole of the cooling jacket communicates with a resin supplying hole of a heating cylinder. A sensor head mounted on a sensor mounting plate is inserted into the resin supplying hole through a sensor insertion port provided on a hopper plate and a resin inlet and detects the deposit level of the resin pellets deposited in the resin supplying hole. Changing the extent of insertion of the sensor head enables the resin pellets deposit detection level to be changed, and further, enables the deposit level near the outer periphery of the screw to be detected. Setting the sensor detection direction perpendicular to the resin deposit direction enables dirtying of the sensor detection surface by the resin pellets to be reduced, thus enabling erroneous detection readings to be reduced.

Abstract: An injection mold nozzle structure is provided. The injection mold nozzle structure includes a split mold and an opposing split mold which form a molding cavity for molding a molded product; a nozzle which includes a nozzle hole having a tip opening, from which injection molding material is injected into the molding cavity; and a nozzle pin which is movable with respect to the nozzle along an axis of the nozzle hole and is configured to open and close the tip opening of the nozzle hole according to the movement. The nozzle is enterable into a recess portion of the split mold. The nozzle pin includes a pin tip surface configured to face the molding cavity and form a part of a surface of the molding cavity when the nozzle enters the large recess portion.

Abstract: A multiphase polymeric material comprises a first rigid continuous phase and a second elastic phase dispersed in the first phase. The multiphase polymeric material may be formed into polymeric strips and used to make a cellular confinement system which is suitable for use in cold areas.

Abstract: If a screw is moved forward after a metering step is completed, the screw moves in a state where a check ring on a tip end of the screw is in open state. Resin flows in a direction opposite to the injection direction. A rotational force is applied to the screw due to the backflow of the resin. If the check ring closes a resin passage, the rotational force acting on the screw is reduced. A peak time of the screw rotational force is detected as closing point in time of the check ring. Physical amounts such as a screw rotational force and a screw position at that timing are detected. Since the closing point in time of the check ring is precisely detected, correction of the injection/hold pressure switching position and the injection speed switching position can be adjusted more precisely. It is possible to precisely determine whether a molded article is non-defective or defective based on the detected physical amount.

Abstract: Active decompression to prevent melt drool from a mold (12, 14) or runner system (20) is achieved through the selective coupling and de-coupling of an injection piston (34) to a plunger (38). Following successive injection (FIG. 5a) and hold phases (FIG. 5b) of an injection molding process (FIG. 5), the runner and channel system is partially de-compressed (FIG. 5c) by drawing back together, over a short distance, the plunger (38) and the injection pressure (34) as one unit. The injection piston is then mechanically de-coupled from the plunger (FIG. 5e), with the injection piston (34) withdrawn to essentially its final shot position, but minus a customary packing distance (6). Plastic melt (100), extruded into a shooting pot (28) positioned in front of the plunger (38), is permitted to push the plunger backwards, but now with minimal work expenditure. When the plunger again contacts (FIG. 5f) the injection piston (34), melt pressure now causes both units to be moved back to reach a final shot size volume.

Abstract: A load determining device for an electrically-operated injection molding machine in which a load exerted on a movable part is detected based on the motor current or by an observer, with removing the influence of motor temperature. Upon start of continuous molding, a maximum load detected during retreat motion of an ejector or movable part is stored as a reference value Lr0. In every molding cycle, a maximum detected load Lra during the retraction of the ejector is determined. In the next molding cycle, load La detected during advance of the ejector is corrected based on the reference value Lr0 and the maximum detected load Lra to eliminate the influence of motor temperature rise, thereby determining the load Lfx(n) during the advance of the ejector. When there occurs a change in temperature of the ejector driving motor, the load detected based on the motor current or by the observer varies even if the actual ejector load is constant.

Abstract: Thermoplastic polymers, rubbery polymeric components and reinforcing fillers are mixed and heated to a range of 380° F. to 440° F. The resulting mixture is then fed into a BANBURY mixer, with the resulting mixture fed into a diverter feeding two molds. The velocity of the piston of each mold being filled is controlled to thereby control the density of the molded product along its length (BANBURY is a registered trademark of Farrel Corporation). As each mold is filled, it is deposited in a cool water bath (50° F.–60° F.) while the next mold is being filled. The molds are sequentially transferred to an air cooling rack to complete the process. A texture, generally comprising indentations perpendicular to the longitudinal axis on the molded object, provides a frictional surface between the railway crosstie and the ballast beneath the crosstie.

Abstract: An injection molding machine includes a plasticating unit for plasticating a thermoplastic resin, and an injecting unit connected to the plasticating unit through a connecting passage to inject the plasticated resin into a mold. In the connecting passage, provided is a buffering unit for reserving the resin in an amount at least equal to the quantity of the resin injected per one shot. The plasticated resin is temporarily reserved in the buffering unit, and then, the reserved resin is fed to the injecting unit when the measuring is carried out, whereby the plasticating unit can be driven continuously simultaneously with the operation of the injecting unit and the mold. The molding cycle can shortened with the plastication efficiency being enhanced.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus capable of extrusion molding a comparatively wide, thin ceramic sheet using a screw extruder while suppressing the wrinkling thereof. The molding apparatus includes a screw-type extruder and a mold at the forward end of the extruder is used to extrusion mold a ceramic sheet from the ceramic material introduced into the extruder by way of the mold. The extrusion molding is carried out while regulating the temperature of the portion of the ceramic material passing through the mold corresponding to each of a plurality of areas (control zones) into which the mold is divided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for slip-form casting a concrete product, the product being made from at least two different grades of concrete so that the concrete mix grade can be changed in an uninterrupted fashion during casting at a desired point along the length of the casting bed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for casting a concrete product using two or more different grades of concrete mix, in which method predetermined amounts of different grades of concrete mix are delivered at appropriate instants into the feeder hopper of the slip-form casting machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for moulding an article by feeding molten plastics material into a metering cavity (16), feeding a predetermined quantity of the material from the metering cavity into a mould cavity via a transition passage (26) adjacent the mould cavity and urging the molten plastics material from the transition passage into the mould cavity with a working stroke of a packing piston (24), until the packing piston closes a port (28) defined between the transition passage and the mould cavity and a leading face (32) of the packing piston forms part of the peripheral wall of the mould. Less than ninety percent of the mould cavity is filled with the molten plastics material when the packing piston starts its working stroke and the packing piston starts its working stroke while molten plastics material is still being fed from the metering cavity.