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Topic: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

Is there a sizer after the one that is supplied by the filastruder or a sensor to speed up or slow down to create a better product.

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

This is something I am also looking for. I did a little research and found this thread on thickness measurement devices. Then you'd just have to wire up and code up a small program to control the speed of the "pull" of the filament to maintain a constant diameter.
http://www.soliforum.com/topic/3256/fil … ng-device/

Looking a little bit further, I found this machine that appears to have some of the coding figured out and also incorporates control of the extruder as well, so if you had both the filastruder and filawinder, it would be a fairly good setup.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:380987

I currently don't have a setup (I was trying to find the "solution" before purchasing and parts), but definitely want to explore this before moving forward as I currently don't have the budget to "explore" various options

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

A couple more filament diameter sensors I've found:

The one I think would work best: https://www.youmagine.com/designs/filam … ter-sensor

https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,636034

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2600781

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4138933

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

I been looking at machines for months and I dong have one either.    If it can't control thickness its a paper weight for me.   I looking for a plug and play go the machine.  Or ill just brake down go a different brand.      Spend a ton more money.  I can't believe no ones selling these yet.  After 3 years.

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

I completely agree. I don't understand why so many of these machines are still reliant on "guess and check" methods and no one has implemented a reliable diameter checking system, especially since it's not like an arduino, motor control, and hall sensor are all that expensive.

We spend money to make sure our actual printers are rigid and dialed in and all, yet when it comes to filament creation we're like "screw it, it's good enough"

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

Does it take 24 hours to extrude 1.75 at  1kg

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

I don't think it's that slow. I'd imagine it could produce a kilo in a few hours, but I'm not 100% certain on that

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

I don't know if you saw this, but Thomas Sanladerer posted a video about measuring filament diameter the other day

https://youtu.be/-0D30mfIVd0

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

A filastruder can crank out a kilo in a few hours, if everything is running smoothly, from material reservoir to the extrusion. Putting a senor controlled puller in between the extruder and the winder would be great. The hang up is the actual sensor part, and accompanying code to control the puller. Tom's new device can help that process, but a kit for us normal people would be super cool.

If you want a turnkey solution that controls diameter and fits on a desktop, 3Devo is the only one I've seen. Everything else either lacks proper diameter control, costs a fortune, or both.

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

Idk man, the 3devo machine us still like 6 grand for the "cheap" model. I refuse to believe it's would be difficult to take a filastruder, filawinder, and one if Toms cheap sensors, along with like a ramps board and come up with some sort of reliable, consistent filament machine that cost less than $1000 and didn't require an entire wall to use.

There's a guy on Thingiverse who made a filament machine like 6 years ago, his name I believe is lyman or something, I mentioned him above, where he was able to build something similar for less than $500 total, it's just that you need to make a bcustom laser diameter sensor, which is not something I really want to get into. Something like Toms hall sensor, though, is a super simple alternative.

I'm gonna hopefully start experimentung here in the near future, once the finances stabilize a little bit

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

I seen that one too but 6k plus vat.    Is a crap ton of filament to buy.   I got cash and sitting here waiting for what I want.    Then I'll buy one until then 200 with of filment lasts me a few months.

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Re: A way to check the diameter on the fly through whole process

Chadfarmer wrote:

I seen that one too but 6k plus vat.    Is a crap ton of filament to buy.   I got cash and sitting here waiting for what I want.    Then I'll buy one until then 200 with of filment lasts me a few months.

I completely agree, and there are plenty of bulk filament sites where you can get 10 rolls of filament for like $120 shipped, so I'm in no rush.

Personally, I'd want to build/design something because I'm a tinkerer and I also have like 5 years worth of failed pla prints it support material(I print almost exclusively in PLA because most of my prints are either decorative or just for me, though I'm starting to diversify into PETG and TPU) that I don't want to just throw away, and because most of the time the filament color isn't a huge deal for me, it would be nice to be able to respool that plastic into filament that could atleast be usable for prototyping it something