Recycling system to recover excess 3D-printed plastics
5
4
Problem Statement: "To design a recycling system for use on college campuses so excess 3D printed products can be safely pelletized, extruded, and collected as re-usable filament."
Components:
-
Polymer extruder (provided by previous capstone group)
-
Plastic pelletizer
-
Extruder drive system
-
Die head and face plate
-
Spooling and cooling system
1. Polymer extruder
-
twin-screw extruder, modular screw segments
-
temperature controlled by band heaters placed along barrel
3
2
1
2. Plastic pelletizer
-
designed for ease of assembly and quick blade replacement
-
screen underneath ensures proper pellet size
3. Extruder drive system
4. Die head and face plate
-
provides co-rotation of twin screws
-
flexible coupling to gearmotor allows pelletizer and extruder to be driven simultaneously
-
ensures proper filament shape is formed at end of extruder
-
geometry provides backpressure to push material through die head
5. Spooling and cooling system
-
variable speed motor for adjusting spooling rate
-
first pulley prevents sagging of heated filament after exiting extruder