Process for molding directionally-orientatable material using shear force

A moulding process for moulding a solid product from molten material containing directionally-orientatable constituents in a mould having a mould cavity and at least one conduit communicating with said mould cavity, each said conduit entering said mould at a respective inlet, which comprises

• supplying said molten material to said inlet of said at least one conduit and subjecting said supplied molten material to a force sufficient to propel it through said at least one conduit into said mould cavity;
• providing in communication with said molten material in said mould at a plurality of spaced-apart regions of said molten material respective reciprocating means, each said reciprocating means comprising a member reciprocatable within and relative to a chamber, at least two of said regions being located such that molten material in said mould cavity lies between said at least two regions, and repetitively moving said molten material in said mould cavity in opposite directions by simultaneously reciprocating said reciprocatable members of said reciprocating means at said at least two regions at equal frequency but out of phase with each other to cause shear of said molten material within said mould cavity at least between said at least two regions;
• and
• causing the said material to solidify while said shear is maintained, whereby causing alignment of the said directionally-orientatable constituents in the said solid product.