Fabrication of a 3D Printer Filamnet Extruder

Abstract

3D printing, an additive manufacturing process, transforms digital designs into physical objects by layering material. This mechanization adds consecutive layers to build up the complete entity, resulting in a 3D object. It develops objects progressively to formulate the preferred look. Filaments are the main component in a die cast model (FDM) 3D printer, these are thermoplastic substances that are injected through a hot die to form the object. These filaments are available in different types such as PLA, ABS, PETG, HDPE each of which has specific characteristics that offer different applications and material options in 3D printing. This paper depicts about fabricating and developing a design of a 3D filament extruder that can produce 1.75 mm diameter filaments from recycled HDPE material. The extruder consists of a motor, a speed controller, a cylinder, a hopper, band heaters, a thermocouple, a temperature controller, a fan, a nozzle and a winder. This system works in the correct temperature range of 350-370 degrees Celsius for melting thermoplastic materials (recycled HDPE). Extruder function is to feed the material from the nozzle into the hot cylinder. A motor screw pushes the metal into the nozzle, where it becomes the filament. This filament is then injected onto a substrate for later use in 3D printing. The temperature is determined using thermocouples and a temperature controller, which ensures optimal extraction conditions. A fan is designed to quickly cool the removed filament. The objective of this research is to create an economical as well as efficient filament to produce high quality filaments. Extruder performance is evaluated based on filament diameter consistency, material penetration and energy efficiency.