Systems and methods for producing extruded materials from loose chips

A system for producing an extruded material from loose chips, the system comprising:

• a housing having an inlet configured to receive the loose chips, an outlet configured to output the extruded material, and a tool cavity connecting the inlet and the outlet;
• a rotational tool located within the tool cavity and configured to rotate around a center axis thereof, the rotational tool including an auger portion and a friction stirring portion along the center axis, the auger portion having an auger thread configured to compress the loose chips received at the inlet, the friction stirring portion having a tapering diameter configured to plasticize the loose chips compressed by the auger portion to be output as the extruded material from the outlet;
• and
• a motor configured to rotate the rotational tool within the tool cavity to cause the loose chips to flow from the inlet, through the tool cavity, and out of the outlet as the extruded material.

A method for producing an extruded material from loose chips, the method comprising:

• feeding the loose chips into a tool cavity;
• compressing the loose chips with an auger portion of a rotational tool that is rotating around a rotational axis within the tool cavity;
• passing the compressed loose chips in an axial direction of the rotational axis through a transition zone of the tool cavity;
• plasticizing the compressed loose chips into a plasticized material with a friction stirring portion of the rotating tool that is rotating around the rotational axis within the tool cavity;
• and
• extruding the plasticized material from an outlet of the tool cavity.