Recyclebot v5 Guide
Contents
Introduction
This page is a work in progress as I go about building my own machine and documenting it in detail.
This is a guide based on the RepRapable Recyclebot V5 from Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology Lab which can be found at:
http://www.appropedia.org/Recyclebot
This project is based off a guide found at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468067218300208?via%3Dihub
Acknowledgements
I do not own any of this material. It was published Open-Source online and I am contributing to the previously made guide from Aubrey L. Woern, Joseph R. McCaslin, Adam M. Pringle, and Joshua M. Pearce.
Bill of Materials
I will eventually be creating an updated Bill of Materials.
Electrical BOM
Mechanical BOM
3D Printed Parts
Printed at 0.2mm layer height with a 20% infill and wall thickness of 1mm. I printed every part without support except for small and large pulley.
Files for correctly sized PSU holder and updated cooling trough fan parts:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4405590/files
Tools[1]
Tool | Use |
---|---|
Soldering Iron and Solder | For electronics and inserting heat-set nuts |
Electric Drill | For drilling holes and screwing into wood |
Angle Grinder or Dremel | For cutting off bolts and threaded rod |
Vice or Vice Grips | For pressing in bearings |
Knife | For cutting Kapton tape and insulation |
Hammer | For motivating bolts into place |
Wire Strippers | For 12awg to 31awg wire |
8mm Socket or Wrench | For 5mm nuts |
5/32" Drill Bit | For drilling out 4mm holes in plastic |
1/8" Drill Bit | For drilling out 3mm holes in plastic |
5/64" Drill Bit | For drilling out 1.98mm Nozzle (1.75mm filament) |
13/64" Drill Bit | For drilling out 5mm holes in wood/plastic |
Metric Allen Key Set | For tightening just about every bolt |
Tape Measure | For laying out board position |
Straight Edge, Speed Square | For laying out board position |
Pencil | For laying out board position |
Flush Cutter | For cutting wire, heat shrink, zip ties, part cleanup |
Lighter or Torch | For heat shrink tubing |
Safety Glasses | For safety |
The Build Guide
Extruder Assembly
Feet
Required Parts/Tools |
---|
Wood Frame (2"X8"X4') |
(4) M3x16mm Screw |
(4) M3 Hex Nut |
(4) M3 Heat Insert |
(8) #6x1" Wood Screw |
(4) Board_Feet (Ninjaflex)_x4.stl |
(4) Board_Feet Screw Mount_x4.stl |
Soldering iron |
Electric drill |
Drill bit (Whatever size for woodscrews) |
Allen Key Metric # 2.5 |
I had already performed these steps before starting filming
- Insert the (4) heat inserts into the (4) ninjaflex feet
- Use the soldering iron on the center of the insert in small bursts until the insert is flush
- Insert a M3 hex nut into the hexagon cutout of a foot mount
- On the opposite side of the foot mount, with your 2.5 allen key screw in a M3x16mm screw through the nut until it is tight
- Repeat until all (4) feet are assembled
- Hold a foot screw mount to any corner of your wood frame and drill a single pilot hole in any hole with a drill bit
- I forgot what size I used, just use any size slightly smaller than your screw
- Place a #6x1" wood screw into your pilot hole and tighten
- Drill another pilot hole in the opposite corner to your previous screw on the same foot and add in a second #6x1" wood screw
- Repeat until you have all (4) feet screwed into the corners of your wood frame
- Screw on your ninjaflex feet using the heat inserts onto the M3x16mm screws to complete your (4) feet!
Motor Brackets
Required Parts/Tools |
---|
(8) M5X65mm Screws |
(16) M5 Nuts |
(8) M5 Washers |
(2) Metal Motor Mounts |
(2) Extrusion_Motor Template_x2.stl |
Small Wood Clamps |
Measuring Tape |
Electric Drill |
13/64" Drill Bit |
(2) 8mm Hex Wrench (or 5/16") |
Pencil (for marking) |
1. Measure the width of the end of the board and find the midpoint, mark it with your pencil.
2. Clamp down the first printed motor template to the end of the wood frame in the middle where your line was made (make sure the edges are flush) then drill out the four holes with your 13/64" drill bit.
3. Measure out 13.25" (13 1/4") from the end of the wood (the same end) and make another marking.
4. Once your markings are set for the second motor template, you need to clamp it down (I looked for the closest straight object to use my small clamps with) and drill the two exposed holes (the other two holes were covered with the clamp).
5. I placed two of the M5x65mm screws into the two holes and snugged them up with two M5 washers and M5 hex nuts just to clamp down the printed motor template.
6. Remove the clamping device and drill the remaining two holes with the 13/64" drill bit, then remove the two M5x65mm screws.
7. Place the eight M5 washers on the eight M5x65mm screws and place them into the wooden base from the bottom (the side with the feet) and then through the printed motor template on the top and screw the template down with eight M5 nuts.
8. Use the two 8mm hex wrenches (or 5/16") (I used one hex wrench and a pair of vice grips) to tighten the eight M5 hex nuts down on the screws, securing both printed motor templates.
9. Once all eight M5 hex nuts are on both templates and tightened, add both metal motor mounts with the angled side closest to the end of the wood base. Lastly, add the remaining eight hex nuts and tighten them to secure the metal mounts.
10. The final order of parts should be: Screw>washer>wood>printed mount>nut>metal mount>nut
Barrel
Required Parts/Tools |
---|
(4) M5x25mm Screws |
(2) M5 Hex Nuts |
Barrel |
Barrel Mount/Heatsink |
1/2" Wide Kapton Tape |
Nichrome 80 Wire 31g |
Nozzle |
Barrel Insulation |
Electric Drill |
5/64" Drill Bit |
Measuring Tape |
Razor Blade |
Scissors |
#4 or 5/32 Allen Wrench |
Vice Grips or Wrench |
Sharpie or Pen |
Gloves |
1. Use a 5/64" drill bit to drill a 2mm hole in the middle of the brass nozzle (I went through the inside)
2. Using the measuring tape, measure out 20 feet of the nichrome wire and cut it with the scissors
3. Wrap a layer of kapton tape around the barrel (I overlapped by half of the width of the tape). I wish I would have gone all the way from end to end and trimmed off what I needed, my wires I had to pull out some because they were so close to touching the ends of the pipe from where I started wrapping. Best to go end to end on the tape...
4. This next part has been the worst part of the build so far, and may be one of the most tedious steps in the whole build. You have to carefully wrap the 20 feet of nichrome wire around the barrel with roughly 1mm spacing in between. Start off by taping one end and begin slowly wrapping with tension around the barrel. If you have an extra set of hands they may hold the pipe from both ends and rotate to make things easier and faster. You can go in later and use a small tool to spread the wire around if needed, but I ended up having to start over after my first try left me with over a foot left! The wire should run from where the threading begins and ends. Once you get to the end, tape it off with some of the wire sticking out, making sure on both ends the nichrome wire is NOT touching the bare metal pipe. Last, go over your nichrome with another layer of kapton tape. Make sure none of the coils are touching when you do your final tape layer as this will create dead (cold) spots where the electricity will skip!
5. Place the (4) M5x25mm screws through the back of the barrel mount towards the nozzle and place the barrel mount into the metal bracket in the middle of the board, facing the middle, with the four screws in place through the bracket. Place (2) M5 hex nuts on the bottom two screws. Use a pair of vice grips and the #4 allen wrench to tighten the bottom screws. Then remove the top two M5x25mm screws.
6. Using gloves, I cut off the end of my barrel insulation so that the outer paper was flush with the insulation. Then I measured 6 inches and made a line with a sharpie. Next I cut the insulation with a razor blade. This will cover the barrel eventually.
Hopper
Required Parts/Tools |
---|
(8) M3x10mm Screws |
(2) M5x25mm Screws |
(2) M5 Hex Nuts |
(8) M3 Heat Set inserts |
(2) #6 x 1 Wood Screw |
2 Liter Bottle |
Extrusion_Hopper Catch Bin_x1.stl |
Extrusion_Hopper Feet_x1.stl |
Extrusion_Hopper Hole Cover_x2.stl |
Extrusion_Hopper Insulation_x1.stl |
Extrusion_Hopper Screw Cap_x1.stl |
Extrusion_Hopper Trough_x1.stl |
MISC_M3 Thumb Screw Conversion_x12.stl |
Auger
Power Supply
Cooling
Control Box
Puller
Diameter Sensor
Roller Guide
Traverse Assembly
Spooler
Wiring
Software
Forum
Forum Link for questions and help regarding builds.
References
- ↑ RepRapable Recyclebot: Open source 3-D printable extruder for converting plastic to 3-D printing filament https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468067218300208?via%3Dihub