FINALLY, A machine THAT MAKES inexpensive 3D PRINTER FILAMENT.

If there’s one issue with the RepRap, it’s the expense of filament. Sure, there’s likewise the computationally difficult issue of slicing 3D models, however a 5 to 10 times markup on turning plastic pellets into filament is the biggest problem. It’s even a bigger issue than the issues of compatibility as well as interchangeable parts that includes everybody forking a ‘standard’ printer style lots of times. The expense of filament, though, is the biggest problem, right up there with RepRap designers focusing almost completely on different printer styles instead of the software, firmware, as well as electronics that are likewise vitally important to the RepRap project.

Nearly a year ago, we caught wind of a competition to produce a home-based filament producing station that takes inexpensive plastic pellets offered for about $5/kg as well as turns them in to 3D printer filament that usually offers for $50/kg. A champion for this competion has lastly been announced. The winner, [Hugh Lyman] just won $40,000 for his house filament development station, the Lyman Filament Extruder

The goal of the Desktop factory Competition was to produce a machine that creates filament appropriate for 3D printers with a overall develop expense of under $250 USD. [Lyman] satisfied the goal by utilizing a few motors, 3D printed parts, a PID controller, and off the shelf auger drill bit (that’s the actual design as well as supplier he used, by the way) that is able to reliably churn out plastic filament.

If you want to develop your own Lyman Extruder, all the plans are up on Thingiverse, however LulzBot, the incredible people who provided us a 3D printer, hope to offer a pre-assembled version of this extruder sometime in the future, ideally with a chain guard around that sprocket.