Plastic Fabrication By using Arduino

Project Title

Plastic Fabrication By using Arduino

Project Area of Specialization 3D/4D PrintingProject Summary

Abstract:

In today's world, 3D printing is a resource that is becoming more crucial for businesses. Ensuring the printer has adequate material to print with each time used is an essential component of 3D printing. This is accomplished with the assistance of plastic filament spools, the most popular of which being PLA, although this is a completed product supplied separately. There is a technique to recycle and reuse plastic using throwaway bottles often discarded in such cases. They are suitable for usage as printed material. This project demonstrates how to build a 3D printer that can print with several types of plastic filament. This project intends to link the supply of plastic material to the printer by supplying it with recycled plastic bottles that have gone through a procedure. In this manner, the printer and the supply can communicate. In this initiative, we want to raise awareness about reusing and recycling items such as plastic so that they do not contaminate the environment. By doing so, the three R's of environmental stewardship may be put into reality.

Introduction:

Making products to scale or prototypes was difficult years ago since the technology to automate the process did not exist. As a result, 3D printing has made a significant impact in the manufacture of things, prototypes, figures, prostheses, and much more than was before possible. As a result, it is more practical and efficient than creating a 3D mechanical model from scratch. However, there is a difficulty with delivering printable material to a printer since it is a distinct process that is not integrated with the printer, and it is more expensive because most filaments, such as PLA, are manufactured industrially. To address this challenge, you must be able to construct a printer and a supply system connected to a printer. This system should be able to create printed material automatically from discarded plastic bottles, which can then be recycled, making it an ecologically beneficial solution. It would also feature a mechanism for producing items that could be printed. Therefore, it would have the previously designed object. "Solidworks," a 3D mechanical design program, may assist with this project since it includes several design tools and possibilities and numerous methods to test the setup.

Advantages:

• Adaptive design
• Rapid prototyping
• Print-on-demand
• Strong and light-weight components
• Rapid design and manufacturing
• Waste minimization
• Cost-effectiveness
• Ease of access
• Environmental stewardship

Project Objectives

The objective of the current project was to determine the feasibility of using 3D printed technology to facilitate reminiscence-related activities for persons with memory loss (PWMLs).

Project Implementation Method

3 FDM PRINTING METHODOLOGY

Software Requirement Specification:

 · Computer Aided Design -Unigraphics, Pro-E

· Slic-3r

· Repetier Host

 Firmware Requirement Specification:

· Arduino IDE

· Marlin Firmware

 Hardware Requirement Specification (Electronics):

· Arduino Mega 2560

 · Ramps 1.4

 · Nema 17 Stepper Motor

· A4988 Stepper Motor Driver

· MK-2B Heat Bed

· Hot End Extruder

· Printing material

The initial step is creating a model in the computer which serves as a blueprint for 3D model. The CAD software for creating and designing the object can be like AutoCAD, CAM, CAE, 3DS Max etc. After designing the object, the object file is required to be modified. if the object file contains the curve parts then those curved parts cannot be directly given to print by the printer. Such curve parts of the object file can be converted to the STL file format. The conversion to STL file format removes the entire curve by linear shapes.

Thus STL file is then sliced layer by layer. the thickness of printing object depends on the resolution of the 3D printer. The sliced file is then processed and it generates the control signals accordingly along x, y, z axis which is processed by the controller that drives the extruder motor feeding the material layer by layer thus completing the designed object.

Sometimes levelling the bed manually requires constant concentration and good vision which is tedious and time consuming. Thus implementing the automated bed levelling enhances the print. Running the auto bed levelling method before printing gives less related issues on unevenness of print bed. Issues like nozzle jamming and wrapping problem.The entire configuration involves placing an inductive proximity sensor instead of mechanical switches in the z-axis. Before the actual printing the software instructs to measure 3 points on the bed and after completing it turns on the auto bed levelling in order to calculate the evenness of the bed. This feature traces out the unevenness of the bed. It might be tilted at one end of the bed thus while printing it lowers the axis to make the printing parts constant with the tilt bed and always corrects the unevenness of the bed. It does not alter anything in the print file it just does the correction in z axis for uneven bed surface during printing. G1 Z1is the code that raises the extruder to be 1mm above. The marlin firmware needs to be updated by configuring some start codes. G29; it enables auto bed levelling G92 E0; Zero the extruder length G28 X0 Y0; move X/Y to the end stop minimum G28 Z0; move z to end stop minimum. M107; start with fan off

Benefits of the Project

3D printing allows for the design and print of more complex designs than traditional manufacturing processes. More traditional processes have design restrictions which no longer apply with the use of 3D printing.

3D printing can manufacture parts within hours, which speeds up the prototyping process. This allows for each stage to complete faster. When compared to machining prototypes, 3D printing is inexpensive and quicker at creating parts as the part can be finished in hours, allowing for each design modification to be completed at a much more efficient rate.

Print on demand is another advantage as it doesn’t need a lot of space to stock inventory, unlike traditional manufacturing processes. This saves space and costs as there is no need to print in bulk unless required.

The 3D design files are all stored in a virtual library as they are printed using a 3D model as either a CAD or STL file, this means they can be located and printed when needed. Edits to designs can be made at very low costs by editing individual files without wastage of out of date inventory and investing in tools.

The main 3D printing material used is plastic, although some metals can also be used for 3D printing. However, plastics offer advantages as they are lighter than their metal equivalents. This is particularly important in industries such as automotive and aerospace where light-weighting is an issue and can deliver greater fuel efficiency.

Also, parts can be created from tailored materials to provide specific properties such as heat resistance, higher strength or water repellency.

Depending on a part’s design and complexity, 3D printing can print objects within hours, which is much faster than moulded or machined parts. It is not only the manufacture of the part that can offer time savings through 3D printing but also the design process can be very quick by creating STL or CAD files ready to be printed.

The production of parts only requires the materials needed for the part itself, with little or no wastage as compared to alternative methods which are cut from large chunks of non-recyclable materials. Not only does the process save on resources but it also reduces the cost of the materials being used.

As a single step manufacturing process, 3D printing saves time and therefore costs associated with using different machines for manufacture. 3D printers can also be set up and left to get on with the job, meaning that there is no need for operators to be present the entire time. As mentioned above, this manufacturing process can also reduce costs on materials as it only uses the amount of material required for the part itself, with little or no wastage. While 3D printing equipment can be expensive to buy, you can even avoid this cost by outsourcing your project to a 3D printing service company.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

In brief, the steps of the printing process are:

1. Obtaining the material (thermoplastic filament) from a coil.

2. Heating the material in the extruder.

3. Solidifying the material on a Surface/base.

4. Three dimensional movements in order to be able to reproduce an object.

the purpose is to analyse each printer part in order to understand the machine functioning.

First of all, it is mandatory to store and supply material to the printer. On the one hand, thermoplastic filament is stored in a coil. On the other and, in order to feed the machine, the filament is led to the extruder by means of a torque. The mechanism which generates this force is situated on the extruder and is moved by a stepper motor; which allows accuracy.

First of all, it is mandatory to store and supply material to the printer. On the one hand, thermoplastic filament is stored in a coil. On the other and, in order to feed the machine, the filament is led to the extruder by means of a torque. The mechanism which generates this force is situated on the extruder and is moved by a stepper motor; which allows accuracy.

This process takes place at the extruder which has the following areas:

 · Heating area: the material fuses on the nozzle (see figure part 6), part which is heated by piece 5 and where the extruded material melts.

 · Temperature control zone (part 7) where is situated a temperature sensor.

 · Cooling area: it allows the extruder not obstruct and block the nozzle.

These electronic components are essential for printing process. Each one has a function:

· The thermistor is a transducer which enables the measurement of temperature of the extruder. With this piece, it is possible to control the heating process.

 · The heater cartridge is used to transform electricity into calorific energy to perform the extrusion process.

· The fan allows cooling a part of the extruder and to avoid the obstruction.

Printer movements are those that carry out printing process. For performing this process, the movements of the printer are produced by Cartesian coordinates. This coordinates have three axes (X, Y and Z) which perform the movements necessary for the 3-dimensional object. These movements are generated by stepper motors which, in turn, are controlled by a microcontroller that sends electrical signals to the motors.

Final Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemCore Industry ManufacturingOther IndustriesCore Technology 3D/4D PrintingOther Technologies RoboticsSustainable Development Goals Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	23500
Ramps 1.4	Equipment	1	1600	1600
Arduino mega 2560	Equipment	1	3000	3000
Nema17 stepper motor	Equipment	1	2500	2500
limit switch	Equipment	1	40	40
12v 5A supply	Equipment	1	1500	1500
A49888 Stepper Motor Driver	Equipment	1	1000	1000
KFL08 8mm T8 Horizontal Linear Bearing Bracket Screw	Equipment	4	1000	4000
Open Timing Belt GT2-6mm	Equipment	1	800	800
SK8 8mm Rod Holder Linear Rail Support 900 2 pieces	Equipment	2	900	1800
Generic SC8UU 8mm Aluminum Linear Motion Ball Bearing Slide Bushing	Equipment	1	550	550
GT2 Pulley 20-Teeth 8mm Bore Timing Gear Aluminum Alloy Pulley	Equipment	1	1600	1600
MK8 Extruder Head J-Head Hotend 3800	Equipment	1	3800	3800
8mm Screw Rod T8 Threaded Rod with Brass Nut	Equipment	2	85	170
8mm Linear Shaft Rail Smooth Rod Dia	Equipment	6	190	1140