Patent ID: 8267149

Claim:
A method of processing metal, metallic alloys, and metal matrix composites in a conventional plastics injection molding machine, comprising the steps of providing a conventional plastics injection molding machine having a conventional screw configured and arranged for processing plastics; removing the conventional screw; replacing the conventional screw with a modified screw configured and arranged for processing metals, the modified screw further comprising, a shank, a screw shaft extending from the shank, the screw shaft having a rear portion proximate to the shank, a middle portion proximate the rear portion, a front portion proximate the middle portion, and flights extending from the rear portion of the screw shaft for advancing material through the conventional plastic injections molding machine into the middle portion of the screw shaft; removing all the flights from the middle portion of the screw shaft; and processing metal, metallic alloys, and metal matrix composites in the conventional plastics injection molding machine with the modified screw.