Official statement about extrusion to filament

Precious Plastic Machine Development
#1

Hey there,
we would like to know the official statement about whether the extruder can extrude filament. To me it’s no but only because I don’t know a printer which can print certain recycled plastic. I know of pellet printers but that’s about it.

I am asking because we receive emails from clients and til now we still can’t answer them correctly.

Obviously the whole topic needs a lot of research and development and I am sure someone will figure this out (or not) one day. I am also aware that a ‘filament mile’ is around 2-5 meters long …

So please if anyone could bring light into this story, we’d be very happy to have finally an answer for the users.

#2

ok, sorry to bring this up all over again but it keeps bumping all over the place, thats what we found :

– 4+ facebook entries asking the same, no answer
– 2-3+ instagram entries, asking the same, no answer
– around 5+ forum entries, asking the same, going nowhere but confirming a no, no answer
– around 20+ emails, asking the same, humble answer from us : NO

thanks, honestly, this story makes us and PP not looking ‘very well’
g

#3

Does anyone know have experience with DIY filament extruders?  Familiar with pricing?  Quality?  etc.

 

Thanks everyone!

#4

hey, i am no longer watch this topic, it’s has been answered so far. about making DIY filament, let’s open a more dedicated topic just. I captured so far the findings in the library / resource section so far.

#5

This is the correct link.
As long as you get it small enough it is not that much different. I will probubly have a different hopper as shavings dont really roll as well into barrel compared to the virgin resins. as the current hopper design is for pellets.

#6

Thanks for the link to vanplestik. In their product descriptions it says 100% recycled. I think the boutique furniture and decor is a place where a workspace can do well.

#7

just to make it a little more clear; doing a PLA/ABS filament extruder is one thing; not that difficult; the other thing is to print recycled plastic. As far i recon, the only story I heard regarding filament via PP was making LDPE  filament (see bazar), but the only problem is that you can’t really print well nor good things with that stuff.
vanplastik is the only successor i know off when it comes to PP; they print furniture, but using only ~10% recylced plastic, for obvious reasons.

#8

I am also still working on opening up my first version of the extruder (Multistruder) as open source the idea is that it is supposed to be a injection machine and a high quality filament extruder all in one machine. I am adding the feedback loop for diameter control and the option to work as an injection moulder currently. But that one you should be able to build in most oversea’s country pretty easily and cheaply.

#9

https://studio.youtube.com/video/-4ELb3uyVSI/edit

This is the current one that i am working on. I need to add production grade screw however i lost access to my 4th axis add on to make a custom screw for it so i am going to use modified wood auger for now. Currently i have the winder and spooler working. I am now working on getting my working dimensional control to drive the spooler wrapping speed using PID loop then i am done. This is a test stand the final version will be 12″ x 12″ x 5.5″ box super tiny.

#10

there is btw. one provider on alibaba who has lots of the parts needed, even twin screws for quite cheap.

#11

yeah, thanks. apparently we need something solid, big, working with recycled plastic, etc… barcelona and the rest of pp is full of companies, labs, etc… asking us ‘…does it?’

#12

Then go for it.  If you are going to monetize and sell it, then maybe you should do the documentation and experimentation.

 

Frankly I have zero interest in making filament as the market locally is too small.

 

I also have the automated injection molder to work on and the polyester fiber project.

 

I just pointed you to the work of others who have already released stuff.

#13

short update looking at the sections and components :

extrusion : 2000 – 3000 euro
hopper: 400 Euro
dryer : 300 Euro
main control – interface : 1000 Euro

unknown : feed, water baths, pull system (forming), spool winder, but i guess it’s adding another 1000 Euro easily

looks like this can be done for around 4000-5000 euro, that’s good news since it’s still 3000 less compared to the cheapest commercial machine i’ve found so far.

#14

@btmetz, I started the research here. If you want to join, signup on that page, we send you then all the other infos like the corresponding slack channel 🙂

#15

now we’re looking at 2-3 months of work for 2 teams and a couple thousand euros of invest (materials, manuals,…). I wasn’t aware about when i saw those fancy pictures on preciousplastic.com, I though it just ‘works’ just as the pictures suggested, lol

 

#16

ok, i see, back to square one …
how about we open finally another topic ‘Making filament with v3 ‘ ? I don’t see much progress other than stripping down the v3 extruder, make the entire re-work (professional heatbands, PIDS, cooling systems, mount) and work out all manuals and step by step instructions, something I can finally give to our clients without worrying they get screwed with 2-3 K invest 🙂

What’s even more challenging is to workout screw specs per plastic type though, those will go hand in hand with motor specs ,… After all best possible is done under this conditions, we can work out the waterbaths, pull system, PLCs, etc…

After the main sections are worked out, our 3dprint guru can start working out printer specs…

g

#17

Quite simple really, You trade hard work and your skills vs paying someone else to do it.

 

Do not so quickly dismiss this guys work.

 

Filastruder for example is well documented.  There are quite a few people.  Built it, make it your own and run with it.

 

Personally where I live, there is not enough market for me to pursue 3D printing.  Did it for a couple years and went broke.+

 

https://www.filastruder.com/products/filawinder  here is a off the shelf unit for you

#18

@btmetz, yeah; youtube is full of that stuff but in 99% there is no quality audit or feedback; making things up is usually not a problem; selling it successfully is ! I mean; if an industrial filament mile is about ~8000, how you wanna possibly beat the results with a home grown setup below 1k ?

#19

this is in german.  can attach to the PP extrusion machine no prob  DIY Profi Filament Extruder Compound PA12 Plus 30% Carbon - YouTube

#20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU_goBExuZQ  See this

 

Winding device with puller for each extruder Since many people have written to me whether the winding device with the puller can not be built standing alone, I have decided to make the short hand still. Then everyone can attach Das to his existing extruder. Aufwickelvorrichtung mit Puller für jeden Extruder Da mir viele Leute geschrieben haben ob man die Aufwickelvorrichtung mit dem Puller nicht allein stehend bauen kann, habe ich mich entschlossen das kurzer hand noch zu machen. Dann kann jeder Das an seinen bestehenden Extruder anbringen. Here is the link for the STL files and Excel: https://drive.google.com/drive/folder… https://www.instagram.com/werbewunder/