Design and Development of a 3D Printer with Recycling System

R. Radharamanan

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Conference: 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Vancouver, BC
Publication Date: June 26, 2011
Start Date: June 26, 2011
End Date: June 29, 2011
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Manufacturing Poster Session
Tagged Division: Manufacturing
Page Count: 12
Page Numbers: 22.424.1 - 22.424.12
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--17705
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/17705
Download Count: 531

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Paper Authors

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R. Radharamanan Mercer University

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Dr. R. Radharamanan is currently working as Professor of Industrial Engineering and Director of Mercer Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MCIE) at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He has thirty eight years of teaching, research, and consulting experiences. His previous administrative experiences include: President of International Society for Productivity Enhancement (ISPE), Acting Director of Industrial Engineering as well as Director of Advanced Manufacturing Center at Marquette University, and Research Director of CAM and Robotics Center at San Diego State University. His primary research and teaching interests are in the areas of manufacturing systems, robotics and automation, innovation and entrepreneurship, quality engineering, and product and process development. He has organized and chaired five international conferences, co-chaired two, and organized and chaired two regional conferences. He has received two teaching awards, several research and service awards in the United States and in Brazil. His professional affiliations include ASEE, IIE, ASQ, SME, ASME, and ISPE.

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Abstract

Design of a Recycling System for the Cupcake 3D CNC Printer AbstractThis paper presents the design and development of a recycling system for the Cupcake 3D CNCprinter, a special class of machines designed for the automated construction of physical objectsusing additive layer manufacturing technology. The Cupcake 3D printer system is great forfabricating parts and designs that are not available on the open market. However, as with anyprototyping system waste product is produced regularly when designs are improved or discarded. In alearning engineering lab environment waste is even more likely to occur. The cost of the printerfilament and impact on the environment will increase as petroleum and other manufacturing costsincrease.The Cupcake 3D printer is used to quickly fabricate plastic parts for projects but generates waste thatcannot currently be reused by the printer. The existing system for the Cupcake printer lays down agrid of material as a base before it starts fabricating parts from the design files. The base aids instability while the printing process is occurring. After the parts are complete they are cut from thebase, and the base is discarded along with any misprints and support materials. The excess waste is aproblem for several reasons. The Cupcake prints with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polylactic Acid (PLA) plastics which all degrade very slowly inlandfills.To print a design, the 3D CNC printer platform will moves in the X-Y plane and the extruderalong the Z-axis with precision stepper motors while the extruder continually places a smallstream of melted ABS. The recycler’s addition to the printing system provides a way to reducecost and make the system more environmentally friendly. Use of a screw type extruder for therecycling system for the rapid prototyping machine which receives the castoff ABS as well asABS bought in pellet form. A gravity fed hopper was used to feed particulate ABS into the screwgrooves. A rotating auger bit inside an enclosure barrel forces the particulate down the tube. Anelectric motor was used to turn the auger which grabs the material to move it down the barrel.Prototype of this design as well as the Cupcake 3D printer was fabricated and tested to determineproper functionality. Parts printed using the 3D printer, the advantages of the recycling system,the difficulties encountered during the design and development of the recycling system, andrecommendations for future recycling system design are presented and discussed.

Citation
Format

Radharamanan, R. (2011, June), Design and Development of a 3D Printer with Recycling System Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--17705

TY - CPAPER
AB - Design of a Recycling System for the Cupcake 3D CNC Printer AbstractThis paper presents the design and development of a recycling system for the Cupcake 3D CNCprinter, a special class of machines designed for the automated construction of physical objectsusing additive layer manufacturing technology. The Cupcake 3D printer system is great forfabricating parts and designs that are not available on the open market. However, as with anyprototyping system waste product is produced regularly when designs are improved or discarded. In alearning engineering lab environment waste is even more likely to occur. The cost of the printerfilament and impact on the environment will increase as petroleum and other manufacturing costsincrease.The Cupcake 3D printer is used to quickly fabricate plastic parts for projects but generates waste thatcannot currently be reused by the printer. The existing system for the Cupcake printer lays down agrid of material as a base before it starts fabricating parts from the design files. The base aids instability while the printing process is occurring. After the parts are complete they are cut from thebase, and the base is discarded along with any misprints and support materials. The excess waste is aproblem for several reasons. The Cupcake prints with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polylactic Acid (PLA) plastics which all degrade very slowly inlandfills.To print a design, the 3D CNC printer platform will moves in the X-Y plane and the extruderalong the Z-axis with precision stepper motors while the extruder continually places a smallstream of melted ABS. The recycler’s addition to the printing system provides a way to reducecost and make the system more environmentally friendly. Use of a screw type extruder for therecycling system for the rapid prototyping machine which receives the castoff ABS as well asABS bought in pellet form. A gravity fed hopper was used to feed particulate ABS into the screwgrooves. A rotating auger bit inside an enclosure barrel forces the particulate down the tube. Anelectric motor was used to turn the auger which grabs the material to move it down the barrel.Prototype of this design as well as the Cupcake 3D printer was fabricated and tested to determineproper functionality. Parts printed using the 3D printer, the advantages of the recycling system,the difficulties encountered during the design and development of the recycling system, andrecommendations for future recycling system design are presented and discussed.
AU - R. Radharamanan
CY - Vancouver, BC
DA - 2011/06/26
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Design and Development of a 3D Printer with Recycling System
UR - https://peer.asee.org/17705
DO - 10.18260/1-2--17705
ER -