Distributed Artificial Intelligence as an AIP Technique for Network Management

In a process for producing a tubular collagen casing from a hide collagen source which comprises the steps of comminuting said collagen and forming a slurry, swelling said collagen with acid, then extruding, coagulating, tanning, and drying, the improvement which comprises the steps of substantially completely swelling collagen, in which the epidermal layer and hair has been removed, with a relatively concentrated weak non-toxic acid having a dissociation constant in water of from about 1x10-6 to about 1x10-3, e.g., lactic acid, citric acid, etc., for a time sufficient to effect substantial swelling of the collagen and then comminuting the collagen for forming a slurry. An advantageous feature of this improvement is that it permits forming desirable collagen casing from a collagen source obtained from a hide which has been subjected to substantial liming.