Process and dispensing system for preparing liquid concentrates for plastics

Abstract

The invention provides a process for preparing a liquid concentrate for use in the manufacture of plastic parts (including without limitation, as part of the sampling, evaluation and approval process before a plastic part goes into production) comprising: (a) preparing one or more liquid intermediates, wherein the liquid intermediates comprise a liquid vehicle and at least one additive (which may include a pigment, dye or other additive); (b) standardizing the liquid intermediates; (c) transferring the standardized liquid intermediates to a remote location; and (d) dispensing the liquid intermediates to produce a liquid concentrate, wherein the quantity of each liquid intermediate dispensed is controlled according to a predetermined formula for the liquid concentrate. The present invention also provides a process for preparing a liquid concentrate for use in the manufacture of plastic parts comprising: (a) providing one or more-liquid intermediates, wherein the liquid intermediates comprise a liquid vehicle and at least one additive (which may include a pigment, dye or other additive), wherein the liquid intermediates are standardized, and wherein the liquid intermediates have been prepared remotely; and (b) dispensing the liquid intermediates to produce a liquid concentrate, wherein the quantity of each liquid intermediate dispensed is controlled according to a predetermined formula for the liquid concentrate. The present invention also provides a process for preparing a liquid concentrate as described above using a dispensing system which includes a dispensing machine and mixing equipment which may be controlled by a computer or operated manually at the location where the dispensing is done to produce the liquid concentrate; and which may include the manual “hand add” of one or more components of the predetermined formula before the mixing step.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for preparing a liquid concentrate for use in the manufacture of plastic parts comprising: 
 (a) preparing one or more liquid intermediates, wherein the liquid intermediates comprise a liquid vehicle and at least one additive;    (b) standardizing the liquid intermediates;    (c) transferring the standardized liquid intermediates to a remote location; and    (d) dispensing the liquid intermediates to produce a liquid concentrate, wherein the quantity of each liquid intermediate dispensed is controlled according to a predetermined formula for the liquid concentrate.    
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the quantity of each liquid intermediate dispensed is controlled by a computer that contains the predetermined formula.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein the formula is gravimetric.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein the gravimetric formula is inputted into the computer locally.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein the gravimetric formula is inputted into the computer remotely.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of a colorant, an optical brightener, a laser marking additive, an anti-settling agent, a blowing agent, a release agent, a light stabilizer, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein the dispensing of the liquid intermediates in step (d) is controlled by a computer.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the liquid intermediates is agitated after step (c) and before step (d).  
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 8 , wherein the liquid intermediate is agitated by recirculating the intermediate.  
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the recirculation of the liquid intermediate is computer controlled.  
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the liquid intermediates are dispensed in order of heaviest intermediate on a weight basis to smallest intermediate on a weight basis.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the formula is prepared prior to step (d) based on additive requirements received from the user of the liquid concentrate.  
     
     
         13 . A process for preparing a liquid concentrate for use in the manufacture of plastic parts comprising: 
 (a) providing one or more liquid intermediates, wherein the liquid intermediates comprise a liquid vehicle and at least one additive, wherein the liquid intermediates are standardized, and wherein the liquid intermediates have been prepared remotely; and    (b) dispensing the liquid intermediates to produce a liquid concentrate, wherein the quantity of each liquid intermediate dispensed is controlled according to a predetermined formula for the liquid concentrate.    
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein the quantity of each liquid intermediate is controlled by a computer that contains the predetermined formula.  
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 14 , wherein the formula is gravimetric.  
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 15 , wherein the gravimetric formula is inputted into the computer locally.  
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 15 , wherein the gravimetric formula is inputted into the computer remotely.  
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of a colorant, an optical brightener, a laser-marking additive, an anti-settling agent, a blowing agent, a release agent, a light stabilizer, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein the dispensing of the liquid intermediates in step (b) is controlled by a computer.  
     
     
         20 . A dispensing system to prepare a liquid concentrate for use in the manufacture of plastic parts comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of containers each containing a standardized liquid intermediate prepared at a location remote from the dispensing system; and    (b) a dispensing machine for dispensing a plurality of liquid intermediates to produce a liquid concentrate, wherein the quantity of each liquid intermediate dispensed is controlled according to a predetermined gravimetric formula for the liquid concentrate, wherein the quantity of each liquid intermediate is controlled by a computer that contains the predetermined gravimetric formula, and wherein the dispensing of the liquid intermediates is controlled by the computer.