FilaFab Ex Operating Manual D3DV2 - 00
FilaFab Ex Operating Manual D3DV2 - 00
PRO EX350
               Operating Manual
IMPORTANT
OR OPERATING.
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1. Contents
1.       Contents ................................................................................................................. 2
     Disclaimer .................................................................................................................... 3
     Warning ....................................................................................................................... 3
     Product Warranty ......................................................................................................... 3
     Notices ........................................................................................................................ 4
2.       Welcome................................................................................................................. 5
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Disclaimer
This manual is intended for your safety and protection. This information could contain technical
inaccuracies, typographical errors and out-of-date information. This document may be updated or
changed without notice at any time. Use of the information is therefore at your own risk. In no event
shall D3D Innovations Limited be liable for special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages
resulting from or related to the use of this document. D3D Innovations Limited makes no
representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents hereof and
specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Warning
This is a mains electrical appliance and must be earthed. If you have any questions or are not
qualified to work on the equipment seek professional assistance. Do not remove the cover to the
power supply module under any circumstances. The power supply is not user serviceable. Make
sure the correct fuse (3A) is fitted into the AC cable plug (if cable features a fuse).
Product Warranty
D3D Innovations warrants to the original buyer only, that all products and services furnished
hereunder shall be free from defects in material and workmanship. This warranty is subject
to the following terms and conditions. 1. This warranty shall remain in effect for a period of
one (1) year from date of start-up or thirteen (13) months from date of shipment whichever is
earlier; provided however that notice of any such defect is reported to D3D Innovations
within thirty (30) days following its discovery. 2. Parts that normally contact the extruded
material shall have a warranty period of three (3) months from start-up or four (4) months
from date of shipment whichever comes first; provided however that notice of any such
defect is reported to D3D Innovations within ten (10) days following its discovery. 3. This
warranty is not applicable to the nozzle. This item to be warranted for thirty days. 4. The
start-up date for parts sold as "spare parts" will be considered the date of shipment for
purposes of this warrantee only. 5. Consumables such as nozzles, nozzle adapters and
heater elements expendable and will only be warranted to be functional at time of shipment.
6. In the event any material or workmanship shall be determined defective by D3D
Innovations, D3D Innovations liability hereunder is limited to the repair or replacement, at
D3D Innovations option, of the defective part. D3D Innovations shall have NO liability for the
costs of removing, returning, or reinstalling any repaired or replaced part or component. 7.
D3D Innovations shall have no liability whatsoever for any defects which directly or indirectly
arise out of or result from accident, abuse, improper use, vandalism, unauthorised repairs, or
similar deviations from normal use under D3D Innovations control. 8. This warranty shall be
void and of no effect if the products covered hereby are: A. Installed or moved and
reinstalled without following instructions. B. Not maintained in accordance with D3D
Innovations published maintenance procedures. C. Altered or modified in any way without
D3D Innovations authorisation. Except as provided above, D3D Innovations makes no other
warranties, expressed or implied, including without limitation, warranties of merchantability,
or of fitness for a particular purpose.
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Notices
                The crossed-out wheeled bin mark symbolises that within the European
                Union the product must be collected separately at the product end-of-life.
                This device is designated for separate collection at an appropriate
                collection point. Do not dispose of as household waste.
                For more information, contact the retailer or local authorities in charge of
                waste management.
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   2. Welcome
Thank you for purchasing a D3D Innovations Limited’s FilaFab EX desktop thermoplastic
extrusion system. Please make sure you read all of the safety precautions and keep this
manual for future reference.
This page is a record of your equipment specifications. This information is found on the
nameplate label of your machine. Please fill in the blanks below when you receive your
FilaFab unit. When contacting the sales or service department to order parts or obtain
information, refer to this page. This will allow us to respond quickly and accurately to your
request.
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Specifications
             Physical                  PRO EX 100              PRO EX 350
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Features
          Built in hopper
          Speed controller (EX 350 only)
          Safety systems
          Easy servicing
          Changeable nozzle
          Integrated digital temperature controller
          Soft ‘non-latch’ power controls
          IEC power inlet
          Rubber feet
How it Works
FilaFab PRO EX series extruders are designed to produce filament for FFF printers. By
melting down polymer in the form of pellets before extruding it through a nozzle designed to
produce a filament with a predetermined diameter, usually 1.75mm or 2.85mm.
Typically a master batch is produced which can contain colourants and additives in addition
to plastic pellets. This master batch is then loaded into the machine for extrusion into
filament.
FilaFab PRO EX series extruders are designed to extrude thermoplastics only. Do not
attempt to extrude a thermosetting plastic since charring will occur. Unlike thermoplastics,
thermosetting plastics cannot be reformed once they have been fabricated.
FilaFab has been extensively tested for use with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and
Polylactic Acid (PLA). Many varieties of plastics are available and the user should therefore
consult the manufacturers to ascertain the best temperature settings and suitability for
extrusion. If other materials are used it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the optimal
temperature settings are used and that the material is safe for use. Not all materials will be
compatible and non-compatible materials may cause blockages or damage to your FilaFab
PRO EX extruder.
Note on PET: PET is a complex material to extrude; D3D Innovations urges users not
to attempt to extrude this material. Remember that incompatible materials can cause
blockages or damage to your FilaFab EX extruder.
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   3. Operation Instructions
Unpacking
Transport
          Use caution when transporting since machine can weigh up to 12kg depending
           on the model.
          Isolate and unplug the power cable when lifting or transporting.
          When transporting remove the nozzle to avoid damage.
          Make sure the machine has cooled down before attempting to lift or transport.
          Keep level when lifting or moving.
          Lift only, do not drag.
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Installation
30cm
   3) Connect power cable to the machine and connect to mains supply (see specifications
      for electrical details)
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Exploded Diagram
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Machine Overview
01 0
09
                                               10               02
    04
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      07
                                                           05
                                                                06
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Part 01 Hopper & Auger Guard
The riveted aluminium hopper contains the material for feeding into the auger at the base of
the hopper.
The hopper is made from aluminium and is thermally connected with the extrusion shaft.
This is to allow the granules in the hopper to be pre-heated before being drawn into the
screw.
Please note that the side walls of the hopper can present a burn hazard since they will
become very hot depending on the temperature settings.
Some polymers, for example PLA, may stick to the heated hopper sidewalls or to the screw
at the entry to the extrusion tube. If this occurs then the polymer can be scrapped from the
hopper sidewalls or directed straight into the auger by using an ancillary granule tube.
A guard has been fitted to avoid direct exposure to the auger. This safety device must not
be interfered with or removed.
The auger system is designed to provide an overpressure release by either not feeding any
more material from the hopper or by back feeding material back into the hopper.
                       2A
                            0
                     2B
            2C
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Part 03 Removable Nozzle Assembly
                       0
                                                         3A
3B
3C
3D
3A – The extrusion tube houses the extrusion auger (screw) and coupled to the nozzle
adapter by a M25 thread.
3C – The nozzle adapter connects the extrusion tube to the nozzle with M25 and M8 threads
respectively.
3D – The nozzle is interchangeable allowing for different sizes and types to be connected via
the M8 thread attachment.
Safety Breaking Point – in the event of sustained overpressure the system has been
designed to break apart to release the pressure. This is a last resort measure and under
normal usage conditions should never be required.
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Part 04 Motor
The self-enclosed DC drive motor connects to the auger via a thrust supported adapter
assembly. The motor also features a current limiting device which provides a soft-start
action on the motor. Maximum speed is not achieved until a few seconds after power on.
The current limiting device on the 350 models is positioned at the back of the machine
underneath the motor. Do not touch the device since during operation it will become very
hot and will stay hot for a while after turning off the machine, this is normal.
The gear motor drive system has been designed to provide consistent power to the auger. If
however the extrusion tube becomes blocked by foreign objects or by insufficient melt
temperature or over temperature charring then the drive system will begin to stall. This can
be recognised by a change in the sound the motor makes, i.e. a sudden lower tone or by
stalling altogether. The motor power supply has been deigned to cut-out if an over current
condition exists, i.e. the motor is stalled. However this should be treated as a last resort only
since repeated stalling of the motor may results in damage to the machine. If the motor
stalls it should be turned off immediately.
The motor should be turned on only when the polymer has reached a sufficient molten state.
The motor should be turned off again immediately if it sounds like it is “struggling” to rotate
normally.
1 HEATER OFF – Turns off the heater, disengages motor control. Pressing the heater off
buttons will effectively turn off both the heater and the motor since the motor circuit is only
engaged whilst the heater is on.
2 MOTOR ON – This engages the motor drive circuit. If the machine has not been used for
a while the inrush current to the motor circuit may trip the overcurrent protection system.
This occurrence is normal and the system should be re-initiated by first pressing both OFF
buttons and then turning the heater back on followed by motor on. If done quickly no
noticeable temperature variation should occur whilst re-initiating the system.
The motor circuit cannot be engaged without first turning on the heater, this logic is to help
prevent the motor from being engaged without first melting the polymer.
The controls are non-latching which means that if the mains power supply fails the system
will turn off automatically; this prevents the system from starting up again after power is
restored. Intermittent power surges (approx. less than 10 seconds) will not engage the
shutdown system.
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Part 06 PID Temperature Controller
The digital temperature controller provides for setting the required melt temperature. A
separate user manual is included and should be referred to when setting up the temperature.
The factory default settings are usually appropriate for most users and should not be
modified. Ensure that the temperature is set to the correct temperature directly after power
up.
The machine incorporates a self contained power supply with IEC connection and power
switch. See the electrical specifications for details.
The machine incorporates a self-latching E-stop which when activated will turn off both the
heater and auger motor. To re-activate the machine the E-stop requires rotating to un-latch
it before the normal start-up procedure can be followed again.
The EX 350 model features a variable speed control. The speed adjuster is next to the
motor on the rear of the machine; adjust speed by rotating the control knob.
The screw moves material from the hopper towards the melting zone and then through the
nozzle. The screw has a diameter of 19mm and is optimised for pellet sizes from 1-6mm.
In general however if the material can fit within the screw twists it should be transported
towards the melting zone. The machine requires that material is constantly fed to the auger
screw for it to extrude since the nozzle material is essentially pushed out through the nozzle
by the material being pushed up from behind it.
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Setup and Starting Extrusion
   1. Ensure the system is off by pressing the HEATER OFF button. Also isolate the
      incoming power at the mains input.
   2. Tighten the nozzle adapter with a large spanner (do not overtighten).
   3. Screw in the required nozzle and fasten with an 8mm spanner (do not overtighten).
   1. If nozzle/nozzle adapter has already been used then the material inside will need to
      be warmed before removal. The temperature should be set to the lowest
      temperature sufficient to soften the material inside the nozzle/nozzle adapter before it
      is removed. Be sure to use gloves since a burn hazard is present. Also be aware
      that material may ooze from the extrusion tube/nozzle/nozzle adapter once removed.
   1. Connect an IEC C13 power cable to the IEC C14 power inlet and click the switch to
      the on position.
   1. Carefully pour material in to hopper. Do not overfill or allow to spill around the edges.
   2. Do not let fingers or any body part enter into the hopper.
   1. Remove left over material by either scooping it out or with a suitable vacuum tool or
      airline. Alternatively extrude it through the system to remove it. If cleaning is
      required see Step 5 – Cleaning Run.
The auger motor cannot be started unless the heater is turned on first. The machine also
features non-latching relay controls which mean the machine will not automatically re-start
due to power removal and then power reinstatement. Short interval power glitches will not
reset the control system however and the machine will continue to run.
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   4. Notice that the default settings will often work for most applications but settings
      should be checked regardless. (For reference the thermocouple should be set to K
      type.
   5. Once the temperature set point has been reached it may be necessary to wait a
      further 5-20 minutes to allow the heat to spread throughout the material and fully
      soften/melt the material.
   6. It is recommended that the temperature setting be lowered before setting up
      the parameters in order to avoid excessive heating.
   1. Ensure that the temperature has reached the appropriate set point as above.
   2. Turn on the motor by pressing the motor ON button.
   3. The motor should be immediately turned off if it sounds like it is stalling. Under
      normal running the pitch of the motor should remain fairly constant. Running the
       motor while the material has not melted through may cause damage to
       the machine.
   4. Reasons the motor may struggle include; insufficient heat, not allowing the machine
      enough time to heat up, blockage or incompatible material.
When starting the extrusion motor a large inrush current may trip the internal protection
circuit causing the machine to shut down. If this occurs then press the heater off and
motor off buttons briefly before following the start-up procedure again. This occurance is
normal and if the machine is started promptly after a trip then no noticeable temperature
drop should occur.
The 350 model features an external current inrush circuit located near the motor at the back
of the machine. This component gets very hot during operation, this is normal. Do not touch
the inrush protection circuit. The inrush protection circuit should be allowed several minutes
to cool-down before restarting, restarting whilst the inrush protection circuit is hot might
cause machine shutdown since maximum inrush protection is only achieved when the circuit
is cool.
The inrush circuit also provides a ‘soft-start’ mechanism which means the motor will start
slowly and build up speed over a few seconds.
The machine incorporates a self-latching E-stop which when activated will turn off both the
heater and auger motor. To re-activate the machine after an E-stop the E-stop requires
rotating to un-latch it before the normal start-up procedure can be followed again.
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Step 4e: Speed Control
The 350 model features a variable speed control. The speed adjuster is next to the motor on
the rear of the machine; adjust speed by rotating the control knob.
When running the machine for the first time and when changing plastics it may be necessary
to do a cleaning run (machine purge). This will clear any particles leftover from the
manufacturing process and clear out any previous materials. Purging is not always
necessary but if required HDPE pellets work very well since they tend to adhere to most
polymers but do not adhere to the internal metalwork. Commercial purging products are
also available.
   1. To do this, remove the nozzle and run the machine until the extruded material is
      contaminant free.
   2. If this does not sufficiently clean the extrusion tube then try removing the nozzle
      adapter and run the machine again. This method should push enough material
      through to effectively clean the auger and the extrusion tube.
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   4. Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Isolate power supply and ensure machine is cool before carrying out maintenance work.
Maintenance should be carried out by suitably experienced personnel only.
The temperature controller and electronics are non-serviceable and should be replaced
immediately if damaged.
Mechanical components should be replaced if any signs of wear or damage are present.
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Maintenance and Inspection Schedule
Every use
Check for signs of wear and tear, damage to the cord or controls.
Check for signs of over-pressure or back flow.
Check the Safety Break Point for signs of rupture or failure.
If any signs of damage are present stop using the machine and contact D3D Innovations.
If any device fails to operate stop using the machine and contact D3D Innovations.
Apply high temperature multipurpose grease to the thrust bearing. Clean any excess or
residue.
Replace enclosure securely back on the machine and reposition the nozzle shield.
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Spare Parts
#                           PART DESCRIPTION                   PART NUMBER
1                               Extrusion Shaft                   9970001
2                                 U-Clamp Set                     9970002
3                                    Screw                        9970003
4                        PID Temperature Controller               9970004
5                              Solid State Relay                  9970005
6                                Thrust Bearing                   9970006
7                             Aluminium Hopper                    9970007
8                               Nozzle Adapter                    9970008
9                                Nozzle 1.0mm                     9970009
10                              Nozzle 1.75mm                     9970010
11                              Nozzle 2.85mm                     9970011
12                                Thrust Plate                    9970012
13                        Power Supply Full Range                 9970013
14                                Base Frame                      9970014
15                                Frame Back                      9970015
16                                Frame Front                     9970016
17                           Motor Shaft Adapter                  9970017
18                         Heater Block Assembly                  9970018
19                                 350 Motor                      9970019
20                                 100 Motor                      9970020
21                              Enclosure Black                   9970021
22                             Enclosure Yellow                   9970022
23                              Enclosure Blue                    9970023
24                           Nozzle Shield Black                  9970024
25                          Nozzle Shield Yellow                  9970025
26                            Nozzle Shield Blue                  9970026
27                                 Feet Pack                      9970027
28                            Green NO Button                     9970028
29                             Black NC Button                    9970029
30                         Emergency Stop Button                  9970030
31                           FilaFab Control PCB                  9970031
32                                Auger Guard                     9970032
33                       Speed Controller Mounting                9970033
34                          Speed Controller PCB                  9970034
35                              100 DCDC PCB                      9970035
36                              350 DCDC PCB                      9970036
37                              EU Mains Cable                    9970037
38                              UK Mains Cable                    9970038
39                              US Mains Cable                    9970039
40                             Aus Mains Cable                    9970040
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Troubleshooting
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       Notes
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No reproduction in any form of this manual, in whole or in part (except for brief
quotation in articles or reviews) may be made without written authorisation from D3D
Innovations Limited.
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