RepRapOneDarwinThermoplastExtruder
The Thermoplast Extruder
The thermoplast extruder is the central part of the RepRap machine. It takes a 3mm diameter filament of a polymer (usually polycaprolactone; the white loop coming into the picture from top right), forces it down a heated barrel, and then extrudes the resulting melt out of a fine nozzle. The resulting thin stream is laid down in layers to form the parts that RepRap makes. The thermoplast extruder is shown here clamped in a retort stand undergoing tests and calibration.
What order do I do things?
Obviously you'll need all the parts and components first; the bill of materials is linked below.
Start with the Extruder Controller Board, which you should have already made and tested if you have followed the order on the Main Construction Page. You'll need this to test and use the finished machine.
Next the mechanical parts need to be made, unless you have bought a set pre-manufactured.
Then make the motor drive assembly, then the polymer guide.
Finally assemble the entire machine, test it, and callibrate it.
Bill of Materials
The bill of materials is on a separate page to allow you to flip quickly between it and this one. Open this link in a new browser window or tab to see it.
-- Main.AdrianBowyer - 06 May 2007
- all-handmade-components:
- assembled-barrel:
- barrel-and-nozzle-components:
- barrel-before-nozzle:
- cutting-wire:
- drilling-nozzle:
- drive-components:
- finished-drive:
- finished-extruder:
- motor-assembly:
- parts-labelled:
- polymer-guide-and-barrel:
- steel-wire:
- thermistor-drilling:
- thermistor-gluing:
- wound-barrel:
- wound-glued-barrel:
- aoi-assembly:
- aoi-clamp:
- aoi-drive:
- aoi-motor-holder:
- aoi-poly-holder:
- aoi-screw-holder:
- barrel:
- ptfe-insulating-block:
- screw-drive:
