Differences

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--- 3devo_extruder:3devo_extruder [2020/09/10 07:00] – formlab
+++ 3devo_extruder:3devo_extruder [2024/06/17 02:22] (current) – [Filament width specifications] formlab
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
-[[https://support.3devo.com/]]
+[[https://support.3devo.com/|support.3devo.com]]
+[[https://support.3devo.com/how-to-make-a-perfect-spool-of-pla|3devo guide to extrude PLA]]
+===== Extrude recycled PLA 2.95mm  =====
+==== Preparation ====
+  * Add 10% fresh PLA granulate to the regrind
+    * weigh an empty cup, set scale to zero, weigh the full cup. Divide weight by 10 (for example: 510g becomes 51 grams). Add this amount of fresh PLA granulate to the regrind and mix.
+  * Close doors and windows to avoid air draft.
+  * Add cutters next to the extruder
+  * Start up the extruder and the Windows computer. Connect them with a USB cable.
+  * Start up 'DevoVision' on the computer. Click on the toolbar on the right (for services?): Show hidden icons > DevoVision ('3d' logo). If this icon isn't present, click the DevoVision app in the toolbar first. (It will notify you that the service should be started instead). <wrap hi>Test this for clearer instructions</wrap>.
+  * On DevoVision, connect to the com port and give a name for the log file (use 'year month day - number' for example). Now the extruder needs to be restarted (press the button on the LCD screen).
+  * On the extruder, go to:
+    * **Settings**
+      * Empty spool diameter: 106mm
+      * Full spool diameter: 190mm
+      * Spool width: 43mm (this dimension seems to vary per spool. Easy to measure with calipers).
+    * **Spooling** > Positioner settings > preview position. Check if the left & right position lines up with the sides of the spool.
+==== Startup ====
+  * Start extrusion (automatic): The machine warms up and starts extruding.
+  * Wait for the material to become thick enough to be put in between the puller wheel. This might take half an hour or so
+  * Click 'Spooling' and follow the instructions.
 ===== Filament width specifications =====
@@ Line 27: / Line 55: @@
 ===== Dry filament =====
-  * 4-6 hours @70-80°C.
+  * 4-6 hours @70-80°C. Stir regularly.
-  * Other sources say to stay below 40°C
@@ Line 76: / Line 103: @@
     * //It's yet unclear to me how to determine a profile, or why it's necessary instead of using all heaters at the same temperature.//
   * If you are dealing with **filament deviation**, the first temperatures to experiment with are the temperatures of heater 1 and 4. Also make sure that the material will be fully melted when entering the metering zone of the extruder.
+  * check if your granulate is pure. Contaminants (a pellet of a different polymer for example) might partially block the flow.
+  * Purge the machine with DevoClean might make the extrusion more consistent.
+  * Feed material regularly. Avoid big changes in hopper loading.
+Cooling:
+  * too much cooling makes the filament too rigid. This makes it impossible to control the diameter
+Extruder RPM:
+  * output rate of the material
+  * If the extruder speed is inconsistent, so will the material output rate. It will be very difficult for the puller mechanism to maintain a consistent filament thickness when the extrusion rate is inconsistent.
+  * Extruder speed inconsistency can be caused by different things:
+    * Wrong temperature profile;
+    * Material feeding issues;
+    * Material contamination;
+    * Polymer degradation
+  * Reducing the Extruder speed gives the puller mechanism more time to react, which results in more stable extrusion
+Winder mechanism:
+  * needs to be easily stoppable with 1 finger (adjust slip clutch on the back). If it pulls too hard, it overrides the control of the puller mechanism.
@@ Line 84: / Line 130: @@
 ===== Recycling plastic =====
-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9OuNUuVbdI|link]]
   * keep waste plastic waste away from moisture, UV light, dust or grease
   * sort different polymers. Only work with 1 kind at a time
@@ Line 91: / Line 137: @@
   * extrude
   * print
+Source:
+  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9OuNUuVbdI|link]]
+===== Powder based pigments / fillers =====
+  * The Pigment Dunaliella Salina comes in a range of particle sizes. When mixing with PLA pellets, shake the batch well, then repetitively move the pot back and for on a table so the large particles sink down and the fine ones stick to the pellets on top. The fine powder colours the PLA darker orange and the filament has almost no speckles. Filament batches from further down the mixture are more yellow with more speckles. **Make sure to only very lightly coat the PLA pellets with pigment powder. Too much powder and the extrusion won't be consistent.**
+===== Troubleshooting =====
+  * **The diameter never settles and is way too big and then too small.**
+  * **The filament feels rather stiff when handling.**
+  * **Sometimes blobs of pure pigment appear, throwing off the diameter sensor.**
+If this happens with fillers (Plastic pellets with added non-plastic parts, for example Algae powder pigments), **reduce the amount of powder** added to the PLA pellets. I used 25g of Dunaliella Salina for 750g PLA. But this was too concentrated. For every 100g coated PLA pellets, I added 120g clean PLA pellets. Then I mixed them for a few minutes thoroughly with a spoon. The extruded filament is dimensionally stable and feels much more supple when handling.