Extrusion apparatus and methods

A method of designing a screw for use in a manufacturing process, the screw including a cylindrical body, and one or more helical channels formed in a surface of the cylindrical body, the one or more helical channels being configured to receive a feedstock material, the method comprising:

• modeling each of the one or more helical channels of the screw as a model object with a predetermined geometry, the predetermined geometry having one or more dimensions representing one or more of a channel width and a channel depth of the helical channel;
• computer-analyzing the model object to obtain at least an estimate of a temperature, a pressure, or a shear rate of the feedstock material flowing through the respective helical channels based at least on the one or more dimensions of the predetermined geometry of the model object;
• and
• producing a physical version of the screw having the one or more helical channels that conform with the respective dimensions of the predetermined geometry of the model object.

A method of operating a screw in a manufacturing process, comprising:

• providing the screw having a cylindrical body, and one or more helical channels formed in a surface of the cylindrical body, each of the one or more helical channels having at least a channel width and a channel depth;
• receiving a feedstock material at one or more inlets of the helical channels;
• and
• in response to rotation of the screw, controlling one or more of a temperature, a pressure, and a shear rate of the feedstock material flowing through the respective helical channels based at least on one or more of the channel width and the channel depth of the respective helical channels.