Development of 3D Printer Filament Extruder

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 Amir Hamza
M.Hashaam Irfan Ashraf
Department of Mechatronics
Department of Mechatronics Department of Mechatronics
Engineering
Engineering Engineering
EME College, NUST
EME College, NUST EME College, NUST
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Rawalpindi, Pakistan Rawalpindi, Pakistan
hamza743@gmail.com
hashaamalam13@yahoo.com irfan22@gmail.com
Abdulrehman
Department of Mechatronics
Engineering
EME College, NUST
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
abdulrehman4@gmail.com
 Abstract— Filament
extruder is a device used
for making 3-D
printer filament suitable
for use in 3-D printers.
This project ‘‘3D Printer
filament extruder’’ is
capable of making
commercial quality 3-D
printing filament at low
cost. It fabricates
recycled waste plastic
into filament. Recycled
PET bottle flakes and
pellets of nylon and PET
are used in this project.
These Pellets or flakes
are fed into the extruder.
The filament extruder
then melts those pellets or
flakes and pushes the
molten plastic out of the
nozzle in the form of the
filament. This extruder is
also capable of making
filaments from different
types of plastics.
key words_ Filament
extruder, 3D printing
I. INTRODUCTION
3D printing filament is
used in 3D printers and
the printer will then be
able to make different
objects from this
filament. 3D printer
filament extruder
machine is used to make
this filament. In this
extruder pellets of
different plastic
materials are used to
convert it in to filament.
Project is also related to
this extruder machine
which will be able to
make 3D printer
filament of commercial
quality on a very low
cost as compared to the
market price.
In this filament extruder,
pellets and flakes of
waste plastic bottles are
used to make 3D printer
filament. Hence it will
convert recycled waste
plastic in to filament.
II. WORKING strand. This filament
PRINCIPLE strand has the same
diameter as the diameter
A. Diagram of the die used. This
Figure 1 shows the overall process is known
working of filament as extrusion and hence
extruder[1]. we get the word
extruder for this
machine.
III. DESIGN
SPECIFICATIONS
Fig 2
For the purpose of
B. Heating Chamber
building the filament
extruder following parts Other part of barrel will
were designed. consist of heating
Fig 1 chamber which will be
1. Barrel
B. Explanation heated to melt plastic
2. Heating These both parts of
The barrel is the Chamber barrel will be connected
important component of 3. Hopper by screws having
the extruder and it 4. Nozzle insulating disc between
contains an auger bit. At them.
the end of the barrel, a A. Barrel
heating element is fixed Barrel is fabricated in Figure 3 shows detailed
to outer side. On the two parts. First part has design of heating
hopper on it which will chamber. Diameter of
other end of the barrel a
feed plastic pellets into collar is 58 mm and
DC motor is connected diameter of barrel is 34
to the auger bit. barrel. First part is
mm its internal hole is
Through the rotation of completely thermally
19 mm. Part of barrel
the motor we transfer isolated from other by where nozzle will be
the resin pellets from ceramic insulating disc clamped has diameter of
one side of the barrel between two barrels. 31mm and this part has
where hopper is Barrels has collars on external threading.
attached to the other ends to couple it with
side of the barrel where other part and fix it to
it is connected to the base. Internal bore
heating element. Pellets should be precisely
are continuously being equal to diameter of
provided to the auger bit feed screw so that
with the help of a material can’t stuck in
hopper. This hopper is a between feed screw and
kind of a feeding funnel. barrel.
When the motor is in a Material used in
running condition then it fabrication of barrel is
will continuously drive aluminum. Being soft
the auger bit due to light weight and good
which the resin pellets thermal conductance
are continuously being give advantage over
pushed towards the other metals. Length of Fig 3
other end of the auger one part of barrel is 7cm
bit where heater is and other having nozzle
connected. Due to the is 8 cm long. Collars are C. Hopper
heat of the heating 4.5 mm thick. Figure 2 A hopper is a funnel-
element these resin shows the first part of shaped device used to
pellets become soft and the barrel. store material and pour
then melt and then it as per requirement.
will be pushed In our project lower base
mechanically from a of hopper is 3D printed
nozzle. When this while its upper part is
molten thermoplastic is designed in DXF format
pushed through the and manufactured by
nozzle then we will be laser cutting process.
able to obtain a
continuous filament
 A. Temperature
Control
The schematic of
electric circuit used for
temperature control is
shown in figure below.

Fig 4

D. Nozzle
Nozzle is very
important and complex
part. It should be
designed in such a way
that it retains a certain
pressure without
creating much
Fig 7
hindrance. Two standard PID controller controls
diameter of filament are the temperature of the
1.75 and 3mm. Nozzle three heating elements.
should have precise The heating filaments
standard diameter of are connected to a relay
outlet. which is operated by the
PID controller. Desired
temperature can be
achieved changing the
set point value from
control panel. The
temperature should be
greater than the melting
point of the plastic being
used.
B. Motor Control
Motor is used to
move the feed through
Fig 5 the cylindrical chamber
and push it out of the
IV. COMPLETE nozzle. The motor
DESIGN AND CIRCUITRY operates on 24V DC
voltage. AC to DC
Complete CAD
converter is used to
design with labeling is
shown in figure 6. convert the AC voltage
from main supply to DC
voltage. To turn on the
motor, connect its
designated plug to main
AC voltage. The RPM
of the motor can be
controlled from
potentiometer. Its RPM
should be adjusted till
the smooth extrusion of
plastic is achieved.
Fig 6
Fig 10
Fig 8
C. Results
V. THERMAL The resulting flow of
ANALYSIS heat to other parts of
extruder is shown below.
Thermal analysis of the
The maximum
filament extruder is temperature will be at
performed using Ansys the heating element. The
software. Heat is applied backside will have
at heating filament and lowest temperature due
is conducted to the other to ceramic insulation.
parts of extruder. The
conduction of heat is
analyzed at various
parts.
A. Model
Heat analysis is
performed at cylindrical
chamber and nozzle.
The model used for that
purpose is shown below.
Figure 11
REFERENCES
.
[1] http://3dprintingforbegin
ners.com/how-to-make-
diy-filament-for-your-
3d-printer/.
Fig 9
B. Heating Filament
Heat is applied at
heating filament. Its
temperature is raised to
250C while the rest of
the extruder is at the
room temperature of
22C.