Systems and methods for production of colored post-consumer recycled compounds

A system for production of colored post-consumer recycled (PCR) compound, comprising:

• a plurality of material feeders, each adapted for feeding metered quantities of a corresponding material;
• a control unit configured to control operation of the plurality of material feeders to feed the corresponding materials at predetermined feed rates in accord with a pigment recipe that is formulated for producing colored PCR compound of a target color from a number of mono-piment masterbatches;
• and
• a spectrometer in signal communication with the control unit for delivering spectral signals to the control unit informing on the color of colored PCR compound,
• wherein the control unit is configured to:
• (a) calculate a color-deviation between the color of the colored PCR compound and a target color associated with a pigment recipe that the control unit is using to control the material feeders for production of colored PCR compound, and to determine if the calculated color-deviation exceeds a predetermined color-deviation threshold;
• wherein
• (i) if the calculated color-deviation exceeds the color-deviation threshold, calculate a color correction for adjusting the pigment recipe to alter feed rates of one or more of the plurality of material feeders to reduce the calculated color-deviation, adjust the pigment recipe in accord with the calculated color correction, and proceed with control of the material feeders in accord with the adjusted pigment recipe;
• and
• (ii) if the calculated color-deviation does not exceed the color-deviation threshold, proceed with control of the material feeders without adjustment to the pigment recipe.