High-performance polymer 3D printing – open-source liquid cooled scalable printer design

To print high-performance polymers, a printer that can reach high temperatures is needed. There is currently a lack of low-cost solutions that allow manipulation of process parameters and expansion of sensors to monitor the printer as well as the process. This paper presents an open-source hardware upgrade for low-cost 3D printers to enable research on new high temperature polymers as well as manufacturing of all currently available polymers. The hardware cost less than $1700, including the modified printer. Open-source firmware by Klipper and Fluidd is used for control. The printer is able to reach 500°C nozzle, 200°C heated bed, and 135°C heated chamber. At the highest temperatures, all electronics operates within the recommended temperature range inside the heated chamber. The presented design produced a CF-PEEK 3DBenchy and a spiral vase with excellent surface quality and no signs of delamination. Test specimens according to ISO527 using PA-CF performed similarly to the datasheet provided by the manufacturer for samples produced in the XY-orientation and outperformed the datasheet by 15 % in the ZX direction. Compared to specimens made on an Original Prusa i3 MK3S, the modified printer produced specimens with 22% higher strength in the YX-direction and 25% in ZX. By continuously monitoring and carefully calibrating both hardware and firmware, the presented design can perform as a research tool in material science and produce large-scale components of high-performance polymers.

为打印高性能聚合物，需采用能够达到高温的打印机。目前市面上尚缺乏低成本解决方案，无法实现对工艺参数的操控以及传感器的扩展，以便对打印机和打印过程进行监控。本文提出了一种开源硬件升级方案，旨在为低成本3D打印机提供支持，以促进新型高温聚合物的研发及现有所有聚合物的制造。该硬件成本低于1700美元，包括修改后的打印机。控制系统采用Klipper和Fluidd的开放源代码固件。该打印机能够达到500°C的喷嘴温度、200°C的加热平台温度以及135°C的加热腔室温度。在最高温度下，所有电子元件均能在加热腔室内的推荐温度范围内正常工作。所提出的方案成功打印出具有优异表面质量和无分层迹象的CF-PEEK 3DBenchy和螺旋花瓶。根据ISO527标准进行测试的PA-CF样品，其性能与制造商提供的XY方向生产的样品数据表相似，而在ZX方向上则超越了数据表15%。与Original Prusa i3 MK3S打印的样品相比，修改后的打印机在YX方向上产生了22%更高的强度，在ZX方向上产生了25%的增强。通过持续监控和精确校准硬件与固件，该设计可在材料科学研究中作为研究工具，并生产高性能聚合物的大型组件。