How to Make 3D Printing Filament from A to Z?
Manufacturing industrial 3D printing filament involves several key steps, from material selection, compounding & pelletizing to filament extrusion, filament spooling, and quality control, etc. Below is a detailed breakdown of the process, along with variations based on different materials and technologies.
Step 1. Material Selection
The first step is to choose the base material, which can vary depending on the desired properties of the filament. Common materials include:
- PLA (Polylactic Acid): Biodegradable, easy to print, derived from renewable resources like cornstarch, however, it’s not high temperature resistant, not UV resistant.
- ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): Stronger and more heat-resistant than PLA but harder to print due to warping, and it’s not UV resistant either. As a result, both PLA and ABS are not suitable for outdoor use.
- PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol): Combines PLA’s ease of printing together with ABS’s durability, it is high and low temperature resistant, UV resistant, and waterproof.
- PETG-S (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol – Signage): PETG-S is designed based on PETG, but it is an upgrading of PETG, it is especially good for signage printing, it has all the current advantages of PETG, what’s more, it has an extra advantage for signages, that is the perfect light diffusing effect, it allows the light to be through the signage surface, and the light is perfectly diffused.
Step 2. Compounding & Pelletizing
Raw materials are mixed with additives (e.g., stabilizers, colorants, reinforcing agents, or light diffusing agents) in a twin-screw extruder to ensure homogeneity. The mixture is then pelletized for easier handling in the next filament extrusion step, the pellet shape is usually similar to a small ball in various colors, for instance, white pellets are for white filament, and black pellets are for black filament.
Step 3. Filament Extrusion
The pellets are fed into a single-screw extruder, where they are melted and forced through a die to form filament. Key parameters include:
- Temperature Control: Varies by material (e.g., 160–220°C for PLA, 230–260°C for ABS and PETG).
- Diameter Regulation: A precision die ensures consistent diameter (typically 1.75mm or 2.85mm). Sensors and feedback systems adjust extrusion speed to maintain tolerances (±0.05mm).
- Cooling: The filament is cooled in a water bath or air-cooled chamber to solidify it evenly.
Step 4. Filament Spooling
Get the black spools ready for filament before the spooling, and then the filament is wound onto the black spools under controlled tension and controlled speed to prevent tangling or deformation. Usually, the size of the spool is 200 x 200 x 60mm, and it takes 5 to 7 minutes to wind a spool of filament. By the way, the 3D printed products can be recycled to transform into new spools, so the 3D printing filament is recyclable.
Step 5. Quality Control
- Diameter Consistency: Measured with laser micrometers.
- Tensile Strength & Flexibility: Tested for mechanical properties.
- Moisture Resistance: Especially critical for hygroscopic materials like PETG or nylon.
Step 6. Filament Packaging
In the packaging process of IROGA 3D, we use vacuum package for each spool of filament to make sure it will be protected well and can be long term stored, basically, the 3D printing filament can be stored forever as long as it’s still inside the original vacuum package. We package 12 spools per box, and the size of the box is 440 x 440 x 220mm, different colors can be mixed in the same box if you require.
Step 7. Filament Stock & Quick Delivery
For some colors, IROGA 3D have stocks available in the warehouse and we are able to deliver them quickly to the customers all over the world, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa. At the moment, we have some regular colors available, such as opaque white, opaque black, translucent white, translucent red, translucent orange, translucent yellow, translucent green, translucent blue, translucent purple, transparent clear, anyway, the color can be customized as per your requirement, and the MOQ of one customized color is 100 rolls of filament.
