ABSTRACT

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a practical manufacturing method that allows the production of free-form and complex geometry objects based on the principle of melting the 3D printing material called filament and creating them in layers and adding them on top of each other. Since the quality and technical characteristics of the filaments with thermoplastic properties used in 3D printers directly affect the printing quality, the filaments are used at different properties and temperature values according to the nature of the product. Filament production is achieved by extrusion process by ensuring that polymeric materials flow through a nozzle of the desired diameter after melting to form a constant thickness value. The aim of this study is to design extruders for the production of filaments used in three-dimensional printers and to produce PLA filament from PLA (Polylactic acid) pellets with the extruder prototyped. In this study, the optimum extrusion temperature in the extrusion process was determined and the effect of extrusion temperature on PLA filament diameter was examined.

Keywords: Extrusion, Extruder, PLA filament