Printing on a modern 3D printer is carried out using a plastic thread obtained from various materials. High-quality filament for a 3D printer is created from consumables such as ABS, PLA, HIPS. The use of high-quality raw materials allows manufacturers to create materials that are unique in terms of operational and technical properties, on the basis of which a variety of things can be made.
Main Materials
The production of filament for a 3d printer is most often based on two materials - ABS plastic and PLA (polylactide). Both materials meet the requirements of biodegradability, biocompatibility, thermoplasticity and are based on renewable resources, namely corn and sugar cane. The raw material is ideal for a wide variety of products in the medical, food and other industries.
The filament for printing on a 3D printer must be of high quality in order for the final product to please with performance properties. Plastic filament for a 3d printer is a more convenient type of raw material for such equipment. Compared to granules, since it is easy to replace, it can be printed in several colors at once, and the material consumption is significantly lower.
Production Features
3D printing is very expensive, due to the high cost of the consumables themselves. To reduce the cost of printing, craftsmen are creating portable devices for home use.
Thus, you can create a thread for a 3d printer with your own hands much cheaper. Technologically, this process is not too complicated, the main thing is to observe the temperature regime and certain proportions of the mixture. In the standard version, the production of the thread is carried out in several stages:
- First, the initial mixture is prepared. To obtain a substance with the desired parameters, it is important to mix the main components in the right amount. The thread acquires a certain shade due to the addition of chemical coloring pigments. The accuracy of proportions is a guarantee that the color of the thread and, in the future, of the polymer itself will be stable.
- Loading into the bunker. After preparation, the mixture enters the dispensing tank, and then fed into the extruder.
- Preparing a homogeneous mass. All components placed in the extruder are mixed until a plastic mass is created.
- Produced plastic filament for 3d printer. A homogeneous mass is forced through a special nozzle with the help of an auger. It has a certain diameter, which is equal to the thickness of the future thread.
- The thread is cooled and dried. Viscous plastic already in the form of threads enters the bathwith water to cool them down. They also gain flexibility. From the cooler, the finished thread is fed through special rollers to the dryer, where it dries under the influence of hot air.
After drying, the filament for the 3D printer is wound onto the spool. Due to its flexibility, strength, plasticity, it is ideal for use on all types of printers. The diameter of the thread is different - 1.75 mm or 3 mm, which varies depending on the nozzles used on the equipment. The use of various pigments makes it possible to achieve a variety of color solutions for the plastic thread.
Filabot Original
It is possible to make filaments from plastic for a 3D printer, but for this you need to create your own extruder. How to do this, we will tell a little later. In addition, the easiest way is to purchase ready-made portable and mobile devices, for example, Filabot Original. This 3D printer filament production equipment can produce plastic filament with a diameter of 1mm, 75mm or 3mm. The equipment works with a wide variety of plastics - ABS, PLA and HIPS.
The device works with plastic granules, allowing you to control the temperature. There is a filter to prevent the ingress of contaminants. Universal power is enough to use the device at home. Dyes are used to obtain different thread colors. In favor of choosing this equipment speaks its high productivity: it takes about 5 hours to obtain one kilogram of thread.
FilabotWee
Modern 3d printer filament production line is represented by Filabot brand. Equipment with a wooden case is much cheaper, and you can buy it both ready-made and as a kit for assembling it yourself. Like the device described above, this one works on the basis of popular types of plastics. A wide color palette is achieved using granular dyes. You can also add granulated carbon fiber to the mixture, which will increase the strength of the finished rod. The model is equipped with two interchangeable nozzles, so you can produce filament for a 3D printer with a diameter of 1.075 or 3 mm.
Filastruder
In the 3D industry, the Filastruder extruder is known for its versatile assembly, making it possible for anyone to make plastic filament at home. Thoughtfully designed and easy to use, this model is ideal for extrusion applications.
Having such a device at home, you can set up the creation of threads for 3d printers with your own hands. The only caveat is to correctly select the proportions of the components used, dyes. In just 12 hours of operation, the equipment is capable of producing 1 kg of filament, while the final productivity depends on parameters such as nozzle diameter, extrusion temperature, and materials used.
Lyman extruder
This machine is unique in that it was one of the first to be used to produce plastic rod. It is noteworthy that the design of the equipment won the main prize atthe Desktop Factory Competition in 2013. Due to the extreme simplicity of the design, the equipment itself turned out to be the cheapest in comparison with other analogues. Another interesting fact is that all instructions are in the public domain. You can download blueprints and create an extruder to make 3D printer filament at home.
On making homemade appliances
Very often, those who want to work with 3D printers begin to create devices for producing plastic filament themselves in order to reduce their expenses. In fact, such devices, despite their cost-effectiveness and usefulness, are still not so good:
- thread may be of low quality, insufficient or incorrect thickness, which will affect the deformation of the final product or even the impossibility of printing;
- when heated, plastic can release harmful substances that will have to be breathed both during printing and during processing of raw materials;
- reprocessing of dyed plastic will not be possible as you will not know the composition of the plastic and the dye.
Do-it-yourself extruders are hard to make really good quality plastic. Therefore, it is better to purchase portable equipment from trusted brands.
About ways to get cheap thread
To produce filament for a 3d printer, you need to use ready-made ABS plastic pellets. But it is too expensive and costly, so at homeconditions, you can create a material on the basis of an ordinary plastic bottle. The essence of the event is simple:
- PET bottle crushed into flakes;
- the resulting mass is heated until it reaches the melting point;
- through the hole of the extruder mechanism, the thread of the desired diameter is extruded (the tip is responsible for it);
- The resulting filament is cooled by air flow and then wound onto a drum.
In general, setting up production is not as difficult as it seems. It is more difficult to find quality materials to make the filament strong, reliable, safe and suitable for 3D printing applications.
Speaking of plastic recycling. In some countries, socially oriented campaigns are being carried out to recycle plastic caps. Spanish scientists propose to create threads for printing from them, since bottle caps are based on high-density thermoplastic polyethylene. PET-based 3D printing is a popular phenomenon that allows you to create an alternative to PLA or ABS plastic at a very low cost. The only difficulty is that this process, with its economy, is too long, and you will have to work hard to create the thread in the right amount.
