3D printing material waste recycling device and recycling method

Abstract

This application relates to the field of plastic recycling technology, and provides a 3D printing consumable waste recycling device and method. The 3D printing consumable waste recycling device includes: a crushing component, an extrusion component, and a granulation component. The crushing component crushes the waste material, the extrusion component melts the crushed waste material and extrudes primary filament, and the granulation component cuts the filament into uniform particles, which are then melted again through a particle hopper and extruded into secondary filament. This avoids the problem of inconsistent filament diameter caused by uneven waste material size after crushing, resulting in unstable extrusion rates by the extrusion component. This ensures a stable filament diameter after molding, guaranteeing the surface smoothness and print quality of the finished product when using the recycled filament for printing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of plastic recycling technology, and in particular relates to a 3D printing consumable waste recycling device and recycling method. Background Technology

[0002] Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the most widely used 3D printing technologies. It involves heating thermoplastic filament to a molten state in a nozzle and extruding it, depositing the melt layer by layer according to a predetermined trajectory and rate to achieve a three-dimensional shape. The main consumable material for this technology is thermoplastic. If the support structures, unused residual material, and failed prints generated during the printing process were directly incinerated as ordinary waste, it would not only waste resources but also pollute the environment.

[0003] Existing 3D printing filament recycling devices typically include a crushing mechanism and a melting and extrusion mechanism. Specifically, the crushing mechanism first breaks the waste material into small particles, which are then conveyed to a screw conveyor. At the end of the conveyor, the particles are heated and melted, and then extruded through a die to form filament, thus achieving waste recycling. However, existing 3D printing filament recycling devices often produce filaments with inconsistent diameters, leading to unstable output rates when using this recycled filament for printing, which in turn affects the surface smoothness and print quality of the finished product. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a 3D printing consumable waste recycling device, including:

[0005] frame,

[0006] A crushing assembly is fixedly mounted on the frame, and the crushing assembly is used to crush waste materials;

[0007] An extrusion assembly is fixedly mounted on the frame. The extrusion assembly is used to melt waste material and form it into wire. A three-way pipe is provided at the inlet end of the extrusion assembly. The outlet of the three-way pipe is connected to the inlet end of the extrusion assembly. One inlet of the three-way pipe is connected to the outlet of the crushing assembly, and the other inlet is connected to a granular hopper.

[0008] A granulation component is fixedly mounted on the frame and located at the outlet end of the extrusion component. The granulation component is used to cut the wire extruded by the extrusion component into granules.

[0009] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the 3D printing consumable waste recycling device further includes a drying component, which is fixedly mounted on the frame. The drying component includes a drying body with a drying chamber. A pull-out box is slidably disposed within the drying chamber. The pull-out box can move relative to the drying body to below the granulation component to receive the particles cut off by the granulation component. The drying body heats the drying chamber to dry the particles inside.

[0010] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the extrusion assembly includes an extrusion cylinder, an extrusion screw, and a heater. The extrusion screw is rotatably disposed inside the extrusion cylinder. The extrusion cylinder has a feed inlet on its outer periphery, which is connected to the outlet of the tee pipe. The extrusion cylinder has a forming nozzle at its outlet. The heater is sleeved on the outer periphery of the extrusion cylinder and located at one end close to the forming nozzle.

[0011] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the 3D printing consumable waste recycling device further includes a winding assembly, which is disposed between the extrusion assembly and the granulation assembly. The winding assembly includes a first drive wheel set and a winding reel. The first drive wheel set includes two wheels that abut against both ends of the filament and drive it to move. The winding reel rotates to wind up the filament.

[0012] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the granulation assembly includes a cutter, a pad, and a second drive wheel assembly. The pad is fixedly mounted on the frame and has a wire hole for the wire to pass through. The second drive wheel assembly is located on the side of the wire hole near the extrusion assembly and includes two wheels that abut against both ends of the wire and drive it to move. The cutter is rotatably mounted on the end of the wire hole away from the extrusion assembly and is positioned opposite the wire hole. The second drive wheel assembly drives the wire to move and pass through the wire hole, and the cutter rotates to cut off the portion of the wire extending out of the wire hole.

[0013] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the crushing assembly includes a frame, a rotating shaft, rotating blades, and fixed blades. Multiple fixed blades are provided and are fixed to the frame at intervals. The rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the frame. Multiple rotating blades are provided and are fixed to the rotating shaft at intervals. The rotating blades and the fixed blades are arranged alternately and at intervals along the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0014] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the 3D printing consumable waste recycling device further includes a cooling component, which is disposed between the extrusion component and the granulation component. The cooling component includes a cooling water tank and at least one guide wheel. The cooling water tank is filled with cooling water, and the guide wheel is disposed in the cooling water tank and guides the filament to be immersed in the cooling water.

[0015] In some preferred embodiments of this application, a screen is provided between the crushing component and the extrusion component.

[0016] This application also provides a method for recycling 3D printing consumable waste, including:

[0017] Shred the waste from 3D printing;

[0018] The shredded 3D printing waste is heated, melted, and extruded into a primary filament.

[0019] The primary wire is cut into uniform particles of a preset length;

[0020] The particles are dried to remove moisture from them;

[0021] The dehydrated particles are remelted and extruded into secondary wires.

[0022] In some preferred embodiments of this application, the drying temperature for the particles is 70-80°C and the drying time is 4-6 hours.

[0023] This application provides a 3D printing filament waste recycling device. A crushing component crushes the waste material, an extrusion component melts the crushed waste material and extrudes primary filament, and a granulation component cuts the filament into uniform particles. These particles are then melted again through a particle hopper and extruded as secondary filament. This avoids the problem of inconsistent filament sizes caused by the crushed waste material, which leads to unstable extrusion rates and sudden changes in filament diameter. This ensures a stable filament diameter after printing, guaranteeing surface smoothness and print quality when using the recycled filament. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a 3D printing consumable waste recycling device provided in this application embodiment;

[0025] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the extrusion assembly provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 An exploded view of the pulverizing assembly provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the granulation component provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] In the picture:

[0029] 100. Frame; 200. Crushing assembly; 210. Frame; 211. Fixed blade; 220. Rotating shaft; 230. Rotating blade; 240. Partition plate; 250. First drive motor; 300. Extrusion assembly; 310. Extrusion cylinder; 311. Forming nozzle; 320. Extrusion screw; 330. Second drive motor; 400. Rewinding reel; 500. Granulation assembly; 510. Pad plate; 511. Arc-shaped surface; 512. Wire hole; 520. Cutter; 530. Third drive motor; 600. Drying body; 610. Pull-out box; 710. First drive wheel set; 720. Second drive wheel set; 810. Waste hopper; 820. Pellet hopper; 830. T-connector. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0031] The specific implementation of this application will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown in the figure, this application provides a 3D printing consumable waste recycling device, including: a frame 100, a crushing component 200, an extrusion component 300, and a granulation component 500.

[0033] The frame 100 is a frame structure with a table and four supporting legs that support the table.

[0034] The crushing component 200 is fixedly mounted on the frame 100, and the crushing component 200 is used to crush the waste material. In this embodiment, the waste material includes some large semi-finished products that cannot be conveyed in the extrusion component and need to be crushed first to form smaller waste particles.

[0035] An extrusion assembly 300 is fixedly mounted on the frame 100. The extrusion assembly 300 melts waste material and forms it into wire. A three-way pipe 830 is provided at the inlet end of the extrusion assembly 300. The outlet of the three-way pipe 830 is connected to the inlet end of the extrusion assembly 300. One inlet of the three-way pipe 830 is connected to the outlet of the crushing assembly 200, and the other inlet is connected to a pellet hopper 820. In this embodiment, the three-way pipe 830 is Y-shaped, with two inlets at the top and one outlet at the bottom. The two inlets allow the crushed waste material to be fed to the extrusion assembly 300 and the pellets cut by the pelletizing assembly 500, respectively.

[0036] The granulation component 500 is fixedly mounted on the frame 100 and located at the outlet end of the extrusion component 300. The granulation component 500 is used to cut the wire extruded by the extrusion component 300 into granules.

[0037] In existing 3D printing filament waste recycling devices, the diameter of the produced filaments fluctuates significantly, and abrupt changes in diameter can occur, forming protrusions on the filaments and affecting their later use. Research has found that the diameter variation of the filaments is related to the size of the shredded waste. Inconsistent sizes of the shredded waste make it difficult for the extrusion assembly to control the rate of extrusion of molten waste, leading to variations in the filament diameter and even protrusions.

[0038] In the embodiments of this application, the crushing component 200 crushes the waste material, the extrusion component 300 melts the crushed waste material and extrudes it into primary filament, and the granulation component 500 cuts the filament into uniform particles. These particles are then melted again through the particle hopper 820 and extruded into secondary filament. This avoids the problem of inconsistent filament sizes caused by the crushed waste material, which leads to unstable extrusion rates in the extrusion component 300 and sudden changes in filament diameter. This ensures a stable filament diameter after molding, guaranteeing surface smoothness and print quality when using the recycled filament for printing.

[0039] In some embodiments of the application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the 3D printing consumable waste recycling device also includes a drying component, which is fixedly mounted on the frame 100. The drying component includes a drying body 600, which has a drying chamber. A pull-out box 610 is slidably disposed in the drying chamber. The pull-out box 610 can move relative to the drying body 600 to below the granulation component 500 to receive the particles cut by the granulation component 500. The drying body 600 heats the drying chamber to dry the particles inside.

[0040] Moisture in the filament will vaporize instantly in the high-temperature forming nozzle 311, affecting the surface quality of the extruded filament and causing fluctuations in the extrusion rate, resulting in changes in the filament diameter. In this embodiment, drying the granules using the drying component can improve the quality of the filament and stabilize its diameter. Moreover, cutting the filament into granules before drying increases the evaporation area, thereby improving the drying effect and rate. In other embodiments, a stirrer can be installed in the pull-out box 610 to further improve the drying effect.

[0041] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 2As shown, the extrusion assembly 300 includes an extrusion cylinder 310, an extrusion screw 320, and a heater. The extrusion screw 320 is rotatably disposed inside the extrusion cylinder 310. The extrusion cylinder 310 has a feed inlet on its outer periphery, which is connected to the outlet of the three-way pipe 830. The extrusion cylinder 310 has a forming nozzle 311 at its discharge port. The heater is sleeved on the outer periphery of the extrusion cylinder 310 and is located at one end close to the forming nozzle 311.

[0042] Specifically, the extrusion cylinder 310 is fixedly mounted on the platform of the frame 100. A second drive motor 330 is fixedly mounted at one end of the extrusion cylinder 310. The output shaft of the second drive motor 330 is fixedly connected to the extrusion screw 320 located inside the extrusion cylinder 310, and drives the extrusion screw 320 to rotate. A feed inlet is provided on the outer periphery of the extrusion cylinder 310. The crushed waste material or cut particles enter the extrusion cylinder 310 through the feed inlet and are conveyed to the other end of the sleeve by the extrusion screw 320. When it approaches the forming nozzle 311, it is heated into a molten state by the heater. The extrusion screw 320 continues to push, and the molten waste material is extruded from the forming nozzle. After being cooled by the outside air, it gradually solidifies to form a wire. The extrusion assembly 300 provided in this application embodiment has a simple and reliable structure.

[0043] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the 3D printing filament waste recycling device also includes a winding assembly, which is located between the extrusion assembly 300 and the granulation assembly 500. The winding assembly includes a first drive wheel set 710 and a winding reel 400. The first drive wheel set 710 includes two wheels that abut against both ends of the filament and drive it to move. The winding reel 400 rotates to wind up the filament. Specifically, the winding reel 400 is located above the axis of the extrusion cylinder 310 to avoid interference with the granulation assembly 500. When the extrusion assembly 300 extrudes secondary filament, the secondary filament is guided to the winding reel 400 for winding.

[0044] In some embodiments of this application, the granulation assembly 500 includes a cutter 520, a pad 510, and a second drive wheel assembly 720. The pad 510 is fixedly mounted on the frame 100 and has a wire hole 512 for the wire to pass through. The second drive wheel assembly 720 is located on the side of the wire hole 512 near the extrusion assembly 300 and includes two wheels that abut against both ends of the wire and drive it to move. The cutter 520 is rotatably mounted at the end of the wire hole 512 away from the extrusion assembly 300 and is positioned opposite to the wire hole 512. The second drive wheel assembly 720 drives the wire to move and pass through the wire hole 512, and the cutter 520 rotates to cut off the portion of the wire extending out of the wire hole 512.

[0045] Specifically, the pad 510 has an arc-shaped surface 511, and the wire hole 512 is provided on the arc-shaped surface 511. When the cutter 520 rotates, it scrapes along the arc-shaped surface 511 and cuts off the part of the wire that extends out of the wire hole 512. The cutter 520 is driven by a third drive motor 530, and the length of the cut particles can be controlled by controlling the rotation speed of the third drive motor 530.

[0046] In some embodiments of this application, the crushing assembly 200 includes a frame 210, a rotating shaft 220, a rotating blade 230, and a fixed blade 211. Multiple fixed blades 211 are provided and are fixed to the frame 210 at intervals. The rotating shaft 220 is rotatably mounted on the frame 210. Multiple rotating blades 230 are provided and are fixed to the rotating shaft 220 at intervals. The rotating blades 230 and the fixed blades 211 are arranged alternately and at intervals along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 220.

[0047] Specifically, the two rotating blades 230 are separated by a circular partition 240. The fixed blade 211 has an arc-shaped surface that conforms to the outer circumference of the partition 240 to prevent material leakage. A first drive motor 250 is fixedly mounted on the frame 210, and the output shaft of the first drive motor 250 is connected to the rotating shaft 220. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the upper end of the frame 210 is also connected to a waste hopper 810, which holds waste materials so that the waste materials can be introduced into the crushing assembly 200 for crushing.

[0048] In some embodiments of this application, the 3D printing filament waste recycling device further includes a cooling component disposed between the extrusion component 300 and the pelletizing component 500. The cooling component includes a cooling water tank and at least one guide wheel. The cooling water tank contains cooling water, and the guide wheel is disposed within the cooling water tank and guides the filament into the cooling water. In this embodiment, guiding the filament into the cooling water allows for rapid cooling and shaping, preventing deformation due to gravity or compression before pelletizing and ensuring consistent pellet length.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, a screen is provided between the crushing component 200 and the extrusion component 300. The screen filters out oversized particles, ensuring uniform feeding during a single extrusion.

[0050] This application also provides a method for recycling 3D printing consumable waste, including:

[0051] The 3D printing waste is pulverized. In this embodiment, the waste can be pulverized using a pulverizer.

[0052] The pulverized 3D printing waste is heated, melted, and extruded into a primary filament. The pulverized waste enters the extrusion cylinder 310 through the feed inlet and is conveyed to the other end of the sleeve by the extrusion screw 320. Near the forming nozzle 311, it is heated to a molten state by the heater. The extrusion screw 320 continues to push, and the molten waste is extruded from the forming nozzle. After being cooled by outside air, it gradually solidifies to form a filament. In some embodiments, the discharge port of the extrusion cylinder 310 is provided with a forming nozzle 311, which is a circular die with an inner diameter of 1.75 mm. The heater sleeve heats the material to a molten state; for example, polylactic acid (PLA) material is heated to 180-220°C.

[0053] The primary wire is cut into uniform particles of a preset length. In some embodiments, the preset length is 2-5 mm.

[0054] The particles are dried to remove moisture. In some embodiments, the drying temperature is 70–80°C and the drying time is 4–6 hours.

[0055] The dehydrated particles are remelted and extruded into secondary wires.

[0056] The above embodiments of this application provide a method for recycling 3D printing consumables waste. The waste is crushed, melted, and extruded into filament. The filament is then cut into uniform particles, which are melted again and extruded into secondary filament. This avoids the problem of inconsistent filament sizes caused by the crushed waste, leading to unstable extrusion rates and sudden changes in filament diameter. The resulting filament diameter is stable, ensuring surface smoothness and print quality when using the recycled filament for printing.

[0057] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A 3D printing consumable waste recycling device, characterized in that, include: frame, A crushing assembly is fixedly mounted on the frame, and the crushing assembly is used to crush waste materials; An extrusion assembly is fixedly mounted on the frame. The extrusion assembly is used to melt waste material and form it into wire. A three-way pipe is provided at the inlet end of the extrusion assembly. The outlet of the three-way pipe is connected to the inlet end of the extrusion assembly. One inlet of the three-way pipe is connected to the outlet of the crushing assembly, and the other inlet is connected to a granular hopper. A granulation component is fixedly mounted on the frame and located at the outlet end of the extrusion component. The granulation component is used to cut the wire extruded by the extrusion component into granules.

2. The 3D printing consumable waste recycling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drying component, which is fixedly mounted on the frame. The drying component includes a drying body with a drying chamber. A pull-out box is slidably disposed in the drying chamber. The pull-out box can move relative to the drying body to below the granulation component to receive the particles cut by the granulation component. The drying body heats the drying chamber to dry the particles inside.

3. The 3D printing consumable waste recycling device of claim 1, wherein, The extrusion assembly includes an extrusion cylinder, an extrusion screw, and a heater. The extrusion screw is rotatably disposed inside the extrusion cylinder. The extrusion cylinder has a feed port on its outer periphery, which is connected to the outlet of the three-way pipe. The extrusion cylinder has a forming nozzle at its discharge port. The heater is sleeved on the outer periphery of the extrusion cylinder and located at one end close to the forming nozzle.

4. The 3D printing consumable waste recycling device of claim 1, wherein, It also includes a winding assembly, which is disposed between the extrusion assembly and the granulation assembly. The winding assembly includes a first drive wheel set and a winding reel. The first drive wheel set includes two wheels that abut against both ends of the wire and drive it to move. The winding reel rotates to wind up the wire.

5. The 3D printing consumable waste recycling device of claim 1, wherein, The granulation assembly includes a cutter, a pad plate, and a second drive wheel assembly. The pad plate is fixedly mounted on the frame and has a wire hole for the wire to pass through. The second drive wheel assembly is located on the side of the wire hole near the extrusion assembly and includes two wheels that abut against both ends of the wire and drive it to move. The cutter is rotatably mounted on the end of the wire hole away from the extrusion assembly and is positioned opposite the wire hole. The second drive wheel assembly drives the wire to move and pass through the wire hole, and the cutter rotates to cut off the portion of the wire that extends out of the wire hole.

6. A 3D printing consumable waste recycling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The crushing assembly includes a frame, a rotating shaft, rotating blades, and fixed blades. Multiple fixed blades are provided and are fixed to the frame at intervals. The rotating shaft is rotatably mounted on the frame. Multiple rotating blades are provided and are fixed to the rotating shaft at intervals. The rotating blades and the fixed blades are arranged alternately and at intervals along the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

7. A 3D printing consumable waste recycling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a cooling assembly, which is located between the extrusion assembly and the granulation assembly. The cooling assembly includes a cooling water tank and at least one guide wheel. The cooling water tank is filled with cooling water, and the guide wheel is located in the cooling water tank and guides the wire to be immersed in the cooling water.

8. A 3D printing consumable waste recycling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A screen is provided between the crushing component and the extrusion component.

9. A method for recycling 3D printing consumable waste, characterized in that, include: Shred the waste from 3D printing; The shredded 3D printing waste is heated, melted, and extruded into a primary filament. The primary wire is cut into uniform particles of a preset length; The particles are dried to remove moisture from them; The dehydrated particles are remelted and extruded into secondary wires.

10. A method for recycling 3D printing consumable waste according to claim 9, characterized in that, In the step of drying the particles, the drying temperature is 70-80℃ and the drying time is 4-6 hours.

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