Smart Concrete Extruder Design and Prototyping

Abstract

3D printer is a form of additive manufacturing technology. In 3D printer, a 3D object can be formed by laying down successive layers of material. 3D printers are easier to use than other manufacturing technologies, they are also faster and more affordable than other manufacturing technologies. 3D printers offer product developers the ability to print parts and assemblies made of several materials with different mechanical and physical properties in a single build process. One of the world’s first 3D printer was based on Fused Deposition Method (FDM). It was developed by Scott crump in 1980’s. 3D printers revolutionized the prototyping industry by enabling more rapid, more efficient, and cost-effective prototyping. According to the manufacturers 3D printers are 5 times cheaper and at least 10 times faster than the ordinary methods. Not only that, but when it comes to prototype production, no other technology comes close to 3D printers. 3D printer is capable of making complex geometries with ease and provide you with a realistic prototype at exact dimensions and all of it without needing any expert machinists. This technology has found applications in many fields because of the number of materials that can be used for printing. The objective of this study was to design a smart concrete 3D extruder and prototyping. The extruder is the most significant component of a 3D printer because it is responsible for drawing in the material, melting it (in 3D printers that need fused material, such as FFD), and pushing out the material. The essential aspects that were kept in mind while designing the extruder were speed, precision, and long-term reliability. The first stage was to develop the extruder based on a concrete mixture specifically designed for 3D printers employing locally accessible resources and materials. Investigating structural stability and long-term usage in Pakistan's environment. Investigating the impact of printing factors such as layer thickness, nozzle size, printing speed, and flow rate. The extruder design is crucial, because the printer will not function properly until it is done correctly. In our case, the extruder is enclosed in an aluminum casing, and the material is pushed in through pneumatic pressure pushing from above. A stepper motor-powered leadscrew is transporting the material to the nozzle, which is effectively pushing out the material based on the numeric feed input.