Date of Award

6-7-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2024

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Robert A. Marks

Abstract

PLA filament stands out as the most widely utilized material in FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D Printing. This additive manufacturing process involves the layer-by-layer construction of 3D objects, employing a variety of materials. Commonly used materials in 3D printing include PLA, ABS, and PETG plastics, each with unique characteristics suited to specific project requirements. For example, PLA is known for its high tensile strength, while PETG, with its higher melting point, is suitable for applications requiring greater thermal resistance.

Despite the versatility of these materials, the inherent challenge arises with the accumulation of filament waste, comprising supports, benchmark prints, and iteration prototypes after each 3D print. Recognizing the prevalence of PLA as the primary material, our focus has shifted towards the development of a recycling machine, dedicated to transforming all PLA waste into new, usable filament.

Over a span of Senior Year, substantial progress has been achieved each quarter to transition this concept into a tangible reality. This journey encompasses background research, initial design, requirements definition, subsystem breakdown, creation of an operation flowchart, trade-off analysis of subsystems, cost analysis, development of subsystem flowcharts, circuit design, 3D modeling, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The culmination of this effort materialized in a comprehensive presentation and showcase, which effectively communicated our progress and achievements. The machine, named REVERS3D for its reverse 3D printing process, was completed, tested, and demonstrated on May 9, 2024. REVERS3D effectively processed old PLA scraps by crushing them in the grinder, transferring them to the auger assembly, uniformly heating the PLA throughout the tube, and extruding melted plastic at a consistent diameter of 1.75mm ± 0.1mm at 60 mm/sec. The objective was to autonomously run this process and produce a filament string within tolerance. Although the complete process was not fully realized, each subassembly was individually verified to function correctly.

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