Continuous feed, low pressure process for manufacturing thermoplastic posts

摘要

A process and apparatus for manufacturing thermoplastic posts in which granules of thermoplastic scrap material containing water and other contaminants are fed through a constant diameter chamber in a molding device by a rotating auger. The auger extends only halfway into the chamber, thereby subjecting the thermoplastic to much lower amounts of compression and heating than is produced through conventional methods of extrusion. The outer layer of granules is melted an then cooled to form a wall for encasing the more loosely-packed granules in the center core of the post as it exits the chamber. The post material is then cut to length and the ends of the cut posts are cut to a desired shape for driving into the ground or for other purposes.