Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for extruding, cooling and cutting an extrusion using temperature feedback can include an extruder for producing an extrudate which can be fed through appropriate sizing, support and cooling devices, which can include one or more of a vacuum chamber, cooling chamber, and calibrators having internal cooling passages. The apparatus can also include a cutting blade, a programmable temperature controller for controlling the cooling of the extrudate based upon feedback on the temperature of the extrudate sensed near the cutting blade and/or prior to a device which feeds the extrusion through the system. The method can include sensing the temperature of the extrudate, at a point near the cutting blade and/or prior to the feed device, subsequent to extrusion being passed through the sizing, support and/or cooling devices. Such feedback can be used to control the cooling of the extrudate such that the extrudate is maintained within a desired range of temperature as it is cut and/or engaged by the feeding device. Where calibrators are used the apparatus can include additional temperature sensors at different sides the calibrators and/or different sides of a multi-sided extrudate. Such additional temperature feedback can be used by the temperature controller to adjust the temperature of the extrudate, including at different surfaces of a multi-sided extrudate.

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First Claim