Date: Sun, May 20, 2012 at 8:58 PM
Subject: [ORDCamp] $40,000 reward for Makers
To: ordcamp <ordcamp@googlegroups.com>
Hey Ordcampers,
Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source machine to make plastic for 3D printers:
On Sunday, May 20, 2012 10:37:25 PM UTC-5, geoffrey wrote:
> Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced on > a small scale?
On Sunday, May 20, 2012 10:37:25 PM UTC-5, geoffrey wrote:
> Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced on > a small scale?
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: *Zach Kaplan* <zkap...@inventables.com> > Date: Sun, May 20, 2012 at 8:58 PM > Subject: [ORDCamp] $40,000 reward for Makers > To: ordcamp <ordcamp@googlegroups.com>
> Hey Ordcampers,
> Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D printer, > and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source machine to make > plastic for 3D printers:
<geoffrey.top...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced on a
> small scale?
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Zach Kaplan <zkap...@inventables.com>
> Date: Sun, May 20, 2012 at 8:58 PM
> Subject: [ORDCamp] $40,000 reward for Makers
> To: ordcamp <ordcamp@googlegroups.com>
> Hey Ordcampers,
> Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D printer,
> and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source machine to make
> plastic for 3D printers:
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On May 20, 10:37 pm, Geoffrey Topham <geoffrey.top...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced on a small scale?
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Zach Kaplan <zkap...@inventables.com>
(snip!)
> Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source machine to make plastic for 3D printers:
If I read this correctly, they're looking for a way to convert the
cheap resin pellets into a filament product suitable for 3D printers.
Isn't that what the FilaBot Kickstarter project does, only using
recycled plastics?
except that filabot looks like it costs about twice what zach is asking for.
...and filabot is designed to recycle plastic, not use pellets.
It has a grinder on the front end (one of the things that makes it so
expensive, I'll bet), that's unnecessary and possibly detrimental to using
pellets.
It might be doable, but there is a lot of heat and force involved - two
things that equal expensive components.
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:32 AM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 20, 10:37 pm, Geoffrey Topham <geoffrey.top...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced on
> a small scale?
> > Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D
> printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source machine
> to make plastic for 3D printers:
> If I read this correctly, they're looking for a way to convert the
> cheap resin pellets into a filament product suitable for 3D printers.
> Isn't that what the FilaBot Kickstarter project does, only using
> recycled plastics?
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Pumping Station: One Public" group.
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Yes: 'The first team/person to build an open source filament extruder
for less than $250 in components can take ABS or PLA resin pellets,
mix them with colorant, and extrude a 1.75mm +/- .01mm filament that
can be used in a 3D printer is declared the winner.'
Although if you could, say, design a way to input pellets directly to
a printer for that cost, you might also win. It's not really about
making filament, it's about making objects... hm...
> except that filabot looks like it costs about twice what zach is asking for.
> ...and filabot is designed to recycle plastic, not use pellets.
> It has a grinder on the front end (one of the things that makes it so
> expensive, I'll bet), that's unnecessary and possibly detrimental to using
> pellets.
> It might be doable, but there is a lot of heat and force involved - two
> things that equal expensive components.
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:32 AM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On May 20, 10:37 pm, Geoffrey Topham <geoffrey.top...@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced on
>> > a small scale?
>> > Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D
>> > printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source machine
>> > to make plastic for 3D printers:
>> If I read this correctly, they're looking for a way to convert the
>> cheap resin pellets into a filament product suitable for 3D printers.
>> Isn't that what the FilaBot Kickstarter project does, only using
>> recycled plastics?
>> --
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>> "Pumping Station: One Public" group.
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Ya John! That's a good idea, why not just feed pellets into a hopper on top of our extruder heads on our 3D printers. We already have the extruder why replicate it! The only part that's a little hard would be to add colorant with this method.
On Monday, May 21, 2012 1:28:52 AM UTC-5, John Stoner wrote:
> Yes: 'The first team/person to build an open source filament extruder > for less than $250 in components can take ABS or PLA resin pellets, > mix them with colorant, and extrude a 1.75mm +/- .01mm filament that > can be used in a 3D printer is declared the winner.'
> Although if you could, say, design a way to input pellets directly to > a printer for that cost, you might also win. It's not really about > making filament, it's about making objects... hm...
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:41 AM, Sacha De'Angeli > <sachadeang...@gmail.com> wrote: > > sorta.
> > except that filabot looks like it costs about twice what zach is asking > for.
> > ...and filabot is designed to recycle plastic, not use pellets.
> > It has a grinder on the front end (one of the things that makes it so > > expensive, I'll bet), that's unnecessary and possibly detrimental to > using > > pellets.
> > It might be doable, but there is a lot of heat and force involved - two > > things that equal expensive components.
> > On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:32 AM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> On May 20, 10:37 pm, Geoffrey Topham <geoffrey.top...@gmail.com> > >> wrote: > >> > Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced > on > >> > a small scale?
> >> > Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D > >> > printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source > machine > >> > to make plastic for 3D printers:
> >> If I read this correctly, they're looking for a way to convert the > >> cheap resin pellets into a filament product suitable for 3D printers.
> >> Isn't that what the FilaBot Kickstarter project does, only using > >> recycled plastics?
> >> -- > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > >> "Pumping Station: One Public" group. > >> To post to this group, send email to > >> pumping-station-one-public@googlegroups.com. > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> pumping-station-one-public+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. > >> For more options, visit this group at > >> http://groups.google.com/group/pumping-station-one-public?hl=en.
> > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > "Pumping Station: One Public" group. > > To post to this group, send email to > > pumping-station-one-public@googlegroups.com. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > pumping-station-one-public+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. > > For more options, visit this group at > > http://groups.google.com/group/pumping-station-one-public?hl=en.
A few months ago I was a the national plastics expo in Orlando and saw
some of the commercial filament extrusion machines. they were all very
impressive pieces of engineering. They ran the filament through a
water trough after extrusion before spooling.
To use pellets directly in the print head of a 3d printer, you would
need to have typical small scale extruder on top of the nozzle. That
is typically done by suing a screw with increasing thread pitch and
heated outside walls. It would be mighty tough to do in a small light
footprint. you would also be adding all the mass of the pellets to the
mass you had to start and stop and change direction every time you
were going to move the print head.
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 10:43 AM, MeisterTek <meister...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ya John! That's a good idea, why not just feed pellets into a hopper on top
> of our extruder heads on our 3D printers. We already have the extruder why
> replicate it! The only part that's a little hard would be to add colorant
> with this method.
> On Monday, May 21, 2012 1:28:52 AM UTC-5, John Stoner wrote:
>> Yes: 'The first team/person to build an open source filament extruder
>> for less than $250 in components can take ABS or PLA resin pellets,
>> mix them with colorant, and extrude a 1.75mm +/- .01mm filament that
>> can be used in a 3D printer is declared the winner.'
>> Although if you could, say, design a way to input pellets directly to
>> a printer for that cost, you might also win. It's not really about
>> making filament, it's about making objects... hm...
>> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:41 AM, Sacha De'Angeli
>> <sachadeang...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > sorta.
>> > except that filabot looks like it costs about twice what zach is asking
>> > for.
>> > ...and filabot is designed to recycle plastic, not use pellets.
>> > It has a grinder on the front end (one of the things that makes it so
>> > expensive, I'll bet), that's unnecessary and possibly detrimental to
>> > using
>> > pellets.
>> > It might be doable, but there is a lot of heat and force involved - two
>> > things that equal expensive components.
>> > On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:32 AM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> On May 20, 10:37 pm, Geoffrey Topham <geoffrey.top...@gmail.com>
>> >> wrote:
>> >> > Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced
>> >> > on
>> >> > a small scale?
>> >> > Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D
>> >> > printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source
>> >> > machine
>> >> > to make plastic for 3D printers:
>> >> If I read this correctly, they're looking for a way to convert the
>> >> cheap resin pellets into a filament product suitable for 3D printers.
>> >> Isn't that what the FilaBot Kickstarter project does, only using
>> >> recycled plastics?
>> >> --
>> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>> >> Groups
>> >> "Pumping Station: One Public" group.
>> >> To post to this group, send email to
>> >> pumping-station-one-public@googlegroups.com.
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>> >> pumping-station-one-public+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
>> >> For more options, visit this group at
>> >> http://groups.google.com/group/pumping-station-one-public?hl=en.
>> > --
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On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 10:54 AM, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com> wrote:
> A few months ago I was a the national plastics expo in Orlando and saw
> some of the commercial filament extrusion machines. they were all very
> impressive pieces of engineering. They ran the filament through a
> water trough after extrusion before spooling.
> To use pellets directly in the print head of a 3d printer, you would
> need to have typical small scale extruder on top of the nozzle. That
> is typically done by suing a screw with increasing thread pitch and
> heated outside walls. It would be mighty tough to do in a small light
> footprint. you would also be adding all the mass of the pellets to the
> mass you had to start and stop and change direction every time you
> were going to move the print head.
> Interesting challenge though.....
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 10:43 AM, MeisterTek <meister...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Ya John! That's a good idea, why not just feed pellets into a hopper on top
>> of our extruder heads on our 3D printers. We already have the extruder why
>> replicate it! The only part that's a little hard would be to add colorant
>> with this method.
>> On Monday, May 21, 2012 1:28:52 AM UTC-5, John Stoner wrote:
>>> Yes: 'The first team/person to build an open source filament extruder
>>> for less than $250 in components can take ABS or PLA resin pellets,
>>> mix them with colorant, and extrude a 1.75mm +/- .01mm filament that
>>> can be used in a 3D printer is declared the winner.'
>>> Although if you could, say, design a way to input pellets directly to
>>> a printer for that cost, you might also win. It's not really about
>>> making filament, it's about making objects... hm...
>>> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:41 AM, Sacha De'Angeli
>>> <sachadeang...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> > sorta.
>>> > except that filabot looks like it costs about twice what zach is asking
>>> > for.
>>> > ...and filabot is designed to recycle plastic, not use pellets.
>>> > It has a grinder on the front end (one of the things that makes it so
>>> > expensive, I'll bet), that's unnecessary and possibly detrimental to
>>> > using
>>> > pellets.
>>> > It might be doable, but there is a lot of heat and force involved - two
>>> > things that equal expensive components.
>>> > On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:32 AM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> >> On May 20, 10:37 pm, Geoffrey Topham <geoffrey.top...@gmail.com>
>>> >> wrote:
>>> >> > Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced
>>> >> > on
>>> >> > a small scale?
>>> >> > Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D
>>> >> > printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source
>>> >> > machine
>>> >> > to make plastic for 3D printers:
>>> >> If I read this correctly, they're looking for a way to convert the
>>> >> cheap resin pellets into a filament product suitable for 3D printers.
>>> >> Isn't that what the FilaBot Kickstarter project does, only using
>>> >> recycled plastics?
>>> >> --
>>> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>>> >> Groups
>>> >> "Pumping Station: One Public" group.
>>> >> To post to this group, send email to
>>> >> pumping-station-one-public@googlegroups.com.
>>> >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>> >> pumping-station-one-public+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
>>> >> For more options, visit this group at
>>> >> http://groups.google.com/group/pumping-station-one-public?hl=en.
>>> > --
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I didn't mean to wet blanket any ideas, just kind of thinking out
loud. Maybe a two stage process. bolt the pellet => filament to the
frame of the unit, and then filament => traditional extruder head is
on print head. Or, maybe just build the pellets extruder directly to
the extruder nozzle and then keep that assembly mounted to a ridged
frame and move the build platform.
I'm sure there's more than one way to skin a cat....
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:29 PM, John Stoner <johnston...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm just trying to loosen the thinking a bit and see if we can get
> more creative about it. Not wedded to it.
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 10:54 AM, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> A few months ago I was a the national plastics expo in Orlando and saw
>> some of the commercial filament extrusion machines. they were all very
>> impressive pieces of engineering. They ran the filament through a
>> water trough after extrusion before spooling.
>> To use pellets directly in the print head of a 3d printer, you would
>> need to have typical small scale extruder on top of the nozzle. That
>> is typically done by suing a screw with increasing thread pitch and
>> heated outside walls. It would be mighty tough to do in a small light
>> footprint. you would also be adding all the mass of the pellets to the
>> mass you had to start and stop and change direction every time you
>> were going to move the print head.
>> Interesting challenge though.....
>> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 10:43 AM, MeisterTek <meister...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Ya John! That's a good idea, why not just feed pellets into a hopper on top
>>> of our extruder heads on our 3D printers. We already have the extruder why
>>> replicate it! The only part that's a little hard would be to add colorant
>>> with this method.
>>> On Monday, May 21, 2012 1:28:52 AM UTC-5, John Stoner wrote:
>>>> Yes: 'The first team/person to build an open source filament extruder
>>>> for less than $250 in components can take ABS or PLA resin pellets,
>>>> mix them with colorant, and extrude a 1.75mm +/- .01mm filament that
>>>> can be used in a 3D printer is declared the winner.'
>>>> Although if you could, say, design a way to input pellets directly to
>>>> a printer for that cost, you might also win. It's not really about
>>>> making filament, it's about making objects... hm...
>>>> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:41 AM, Sacha De'Angeli
>>>> <sachadeang...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> > sorta.
>>>> > except that filabot looks like it costs about twice what zach is asking
>>>> > for.
>>>> > ...and filabot is designed to recycle plastic, not use pellets.
>>>> > It has a grinder on the front end (one of the things that makes it so
>>>> > expensive, I'll bet), that's unnecessary and possibly detrimental to
>>>> > using
>>>> > pellets.
>>>> > It might be doable, but there is a lot of heat and force involved - two
>>>> > things that equal expensive components.
>>>> > On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:32 AM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> >> On May 20, 10:37 pm, Geoffrey Topham <geoffrey.top...@gmail.com>
>>>> >> wrote:
>>>> >> > Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be produced
>>>> >> > on
>>>> >> > a small scale?
>>>> >> > Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D
>>>> >> > printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open source
>>>> >> > machine
>>>> >> > to make plastic for 3D printers:
>>>> >> If I read this correctly, they're looking for a way to convert the
>>>> >> cheap resin pellets into a filament product suitable for 3D printers.
>>>> >> Isn't that what the FilaBot Kickstarter project does, only using
>>>> >> recycled plastics?
>>>> >> --
>>>> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>>>> >> Groups
>>>> >> "Pumping Station: One Public" group.
>>>> >> To post to this group, send email to
>>>> >> pumping-station-one-public@googlegroups.com.
>>>> >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>>> >> pumping-station-one-public+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
>>>> >> For more options, visit this group at
>>>> >> http://groups.google.com/group/pumping-station-one-public?hl=en.
>>>> > --
>>>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>>>> > Groups
>>>> > "Pumping Station: One Public" group.
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>>>> > pumping-station-one-public@googlegroups.com.
>>>> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>>> > pumping-station-one-public+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
>>>> > For more options, visit this group at
>>>> > http://groups.google.com/group/pumping-station-one-public?hl=en.
>>> To post to this group, send email to
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> I didn't mean to wet blanket any ideas, just kind of thinking out
> loud. Maybe a two stage process. bolt the pellet => filament to the
> frame of the unit, and then filament => traditional extruder head is
> on print head. Or, maybe just build the pellets extruder directly to
> the extruder nozzle and then keep that assembly mounted to a ridged
> frame and move the build platform.
> I'm sure there's more than one way to skin a cat....
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:29 PM, John Stoner <johnston...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > I'm just trying to loosen the thinking a bit and see if we can get
> > more creative about it. Not wedded to it.
> > On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 10:54 AM, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> A few months ago I was a the national plastics expo in Orlando and saw
> >> some of the commercial filament extrusion machines. they were all very
> >> impressive pieces of engineering. They ran the filament through a
> >> water trough after extrusion before spooling.
> >> To use pellets directly in the print head of a 3d printer, you would
> >> need to have typical small scale extruder on top of the nozzle. That
> >> is typically done by suing a screw with increasing thread pitch and
> >> heated outside walls. It would be mighty tough to do in a small light
> >> footprint. you would also be adding all the mass of the pellets to the
> >> mass you had to start and stop and change direction every time you
> >> were going to move the print head.
> >> Interesting challenge though.....
> >> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 10:43 AM, MeisterTek <meister...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>> Ya John! That's a good idea, why not just feed pellets into a hopper
> on top
> >>> of our extruder heads on our 3D printers. We already have the
> extruder why
> >>> replicate it! The only part that's a little hard would be to add
> colorant
> >>> with this method.
> >>> On Monday, May 21, 2012 1:28:52 AM UTC-5, John Stoner wrote:
> >>>> Yes: 'The first team/person to build an open source filament extruder
> >>>> for less than $250 in components can take ABS or PLA resin pellets,
> >>>> mix them with colorant, and extrude a 1.75mm +/- .01mm filament that
> >>>> can be used in a 3D printer is declared the winner.'
> >>>> Although if you could, say, design a way to input pellets directly to
> >>>> a printer for that cost, you might also win. It's not really about
> >>>> making filament, it's about making objects... hm...
> >>>> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:41 AM, Sacha De'Angeli
> >>>> <sachadeang...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>> > sorta.
> >>>> > except that filabot looks like it costs about twice what zach is
> asking
> >>>> > for.
> >>>> > ...and filabot is designed to recycle plastic, not use pellets.
> >>>> > It has a grinder on the front end (one of the things that makes it
> so
> >>>> > expensive, I'll bet), that's unnecessary and possibly detrimental to
> >>>> > using
> >>>> > pellets.
> >>>> > It might be doable, but there is a lot of heat and force involved -
> two
> >>>> > things that equal expensive components.
> >>>> > On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 12:32 AM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>>> >> On May 20, 10:37 pm, Geoffrey Topham <geoffrey.top...@gmail.com>
> >>>> >> wrote:
> >>>> >> > Good question. How does one make plastic anyhow? Could it be
> produced
> >>>> >> > on
> >>>> >> > a small scale?
> >>>> >> > Inventables announced a bounty of $40,000 plus a laser cutter, 3D
> >>>> >> > printer, and CNC Mill to the first person that makes a open
> source
> >>>> >> > machine
> >>>> >> > to make plastic for 3D printers:
> >>>> >> If I read this correctly, they're looking for a way to convert the
> >>>> >> cheap resin pellets into a filament product suitable for 3D
> printers.
> >>>> >> Isn't that what the FilaBot Kickstarter project does, only using
> >>>> >> recycled plastics?
> >>>> >> --
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> What if you could keep the whole extrusion hot, and send pressurized liquid plastic directly to the tip?
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I didn't mean to wet blanket any ideas, just kind of thinking out
> loud. Maybe a two stage process. bolt the pellet => filament to the
> frame of the unit, and then filament => traditional extruder head is
> on print head. Or, maybe just build the pellets extruder directly to
> the extruder nozzle and then keep that assembly mounted to a ridged
> frame and move the build platform.
> I'm sure there's more than one way to skin a cat....
It would also drop the requirement of measuring a precise extrusion
diameter (3mm, 1.75mm). However, it would make stopping the extrusion more
difficult (how do you stop/reverse the flow during hotend tip travel?)
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 2:14 PM, mason donahue <mas...@gmail.com> wrote:
> That would also give colorants more mixing time in the "threaded
> screw"-type systems, no?
> On May 21, 2012, at 2:13 PM, Duane Johnson wrote:
> What if you could keep the whole extrusion hot, and send pressurized
> liquid plastic directly to the tip?
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com>wrote:
>> I didn't mean to wet blanket any ideas, just kind of thinking out
>> loud. Maybe a two stage process. bolt the pellet => filament to the
>> frame of the unit, and then filament => traditional extruder head is
>> on print head. Or, maybe just build the pellets extruder directly to
>> the extruder nozzle and then keep that assembly mounted to a ridged
>> frame and move the build platform.
>> I'm sure there's more than one way to skin a cat....
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there is a lot of engineeering that goes into controling / determining
the fluid mechanics in extruder screws (i.e., differnt screw
designs/stages: mixing, pressurizing). you see that more in the field
of reaction extruding (where you are actually performing chemical
reactions in the extruder. Just getting a colorant mixed is
comparatively an easy problem.
As far as stopping goes, the only problem I would see would eb that
the contents at the nozzle are under pressure. How would you make the
ressure back out rather than go out the tip, and then have precise
control of when it started to extrude product again...
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 2:18 PM, Duane Johnson <duane.john...@gmail.com> wrote:
> It would also drop the requirement of measuring a precise extrusion diameter
> (3mm, 1.75mm). However, it would make stopping the extrusion more difficult
> (how do you stop/reverse the flow during hotend tip travel?)
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 2:14 PM, mason donahue <mas...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> That would also give colorants more mixing time in the "threaded
>> screw"-type systems, no?
>> On May 21, 2012, at 2:13 PM, Duane Johnson wrote:
>> What if you could keep the whole extrusion hot, and send pressurized
>> liquid plastic directly to the tip?
>> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 1:15 PM, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> I didn't mean to wet blanket any ideas, just kind of thinking out
>>> loud. Maybe a two stage process. bolt the pellet => filament to the
>>> frame of the unit, and then filament => traditional extruder head is
>>> on print head. Or, maybe just build the pellets extruder directly to
>>> the extruder nozzle and then keep that assembly mounted to a ridged
>>> frame and move the build platform.
>>> I'm sure there's more than one way to skin a cat....
>> --
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Perhaps a little razor at the tip? Or a valve or control somewhere upstream, and make the feeding process "smarter" (i.e. model-based computer control) so it winds down as it stops needing filament?
> As far as stopping goes, the only problem I would see would eb that
> the contents at the nozzle are under pressure. How would you make the
> ressure back out rather than go out the tip, and then have precise
> control of when it started to extrude product again...
On May 21, 2:24 pm, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com> wrote:
(snip!)
> As far as stopping goes, the only problem I would see would eb that
> the contents at the nozzle are under pressure. How would you make the
> ressure back out rather than go out the tip, and then have precise
> control of when it started to extrude product again...
If you stop the feed, you stop applying pressure, no?
If that's the case, some kind of threaded hole/bolt assembly could act
as a "plunger." Under motor control, backing off the bolt would suck
the plastic back into the reservoir (just a bit, enough to stop the
dribbling).
Resume printing with reduced feed rate while advancing the bolt/
plunger until normal feed rates are achieved.
It would be quite the delicate dance to balance the feed rates, but it
should be do-able.
This is merely conjecture. I don't have any expertise in these
matters.
I think it's more complicated than that. If you stop turning the
screw/auger, the contents are still under pressure. the screw/auger
both conveys the material, and generates heat and pressure. The
pressure isn't generated from the pellets pushing into the extuder, as
it is when filament pushes into a typical 3d printer extruder head.
The pressure is generated by the layout of the screw, and the
shortening of the thread spacings as the screw gets closer to the exit
of the nozzle.
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 3:42 PM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 21, 2:24 pm, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com> wrote:
> (snip!)
>> As far as stopping goes, the only problem I would see would eb that
>> the contents at the nozzle are under pressure. How would you make the
>> ressure back out rather than go out the tip, and then have precise
>> control of when it started to extrude product again...
> If you stop the feed, you stop applying pressure, no?
> If that's the case, some kind of threaded hole/bolt assembly could act
> as a "plunger." Under motor control, backing off the bolt would suck
> the plastic back into the reservoir (just a bit, enough to stop the
> dribbling).
> Resume printing with reduced feed rate while advancing the bolt/
> plunger until normal feed rates are achieved.
> It would be quite the delicate dance to balance the feed rates, but it
> should be do-able.
> This is merely conjecture. I don't have any expertise in these
> matters.
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I was thinking of a thermal valve that might help here.
A peltier array in a ring right at the tip of the nozzle. Current one
direction would make the media flow, in the other would cause the media to
solidify. The media becomes the valve, no need for a mechanical valve. :)
The Print head now only has to contain a small reservoir for several
pellets, not a large stepper motor and hobbed bolt etc. When it need more
pellets, it returns to home position, and the mechanism that reloads the
chamber resides there.
Too far fetched?
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 3:55 PM, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com>wrote:
> I think it's more complicated than that. If you stop turning the
> screw/auger, the contents are still under pressure. the screw/auger
> both conveys the material, and generates heat and pressure. The
> pressure isn't generated from the pellets pushing into the extuder, as
> it is when filament pushes into a typical 3d printer extruder head.
> The pressure is generated by the layout of the screw, and the
> shortening of the thread spacings as the screw gets closer to the exit
> of the nozzle.
> On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 3:42 PM, geezer1 <dj.c...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On May 21, 2:24 pm, Philip Strong <philip.str...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > (snip!)
> >> As far as stopping goes, the only problem I would see would eb that
> >> the contents at the nozzle are under pressure. How would you make the
> >> ressure back out rather than go out the tip, and then have precise
> >> control of when it started to extrude product again...
> > If you stop the feed, you stop applying pressure, no?
> > If that's the case, some kind of threaded hole/bolt assembly could act
> > as a "plunger." Under motor control, backing off the bolt would suck
> > the plastic back into the reservoir (just a bit, enough to stop the
> > dribbling).
> > Resume printing with reduced feed rate while advancing the bolt/
> > plunger until normal feed rates are achieved.
> > It would be quite the delicate dance to balance the feed rates, but it
> > should be do-able.
> > This is merely conjecture. I don't have any expertise in these
> > matters.
> > --
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