Research and Development of a Smart Filament Management Platform

Previous findings show that while FDM 3D printing is becoming increasingly more accessible, there are several technical issues and deviations from correct operating and maintenance procedures which can often lead to print failures or damage to the machine. Although the technology has been proven to work in print farm scenarios, little advancement has been made in terms of automation of such farms. While some printers with print ejection mechanism or belt type bed coupled with a multimaterial accessory can be used continuously without human intervention, there are no solutions yet aimed at specifically storing, preserving, tracking and distributing filament it to several printers automatically. Nevertheless, such a device would contribute towards enabling continuous manufacturing without the need for human presence at manufacturing site.
It has been noted in previous research that school and university workshops with 3D printing capability, which is typically of the FDM type, often struggle with keeping printers working continuously. This is largely due to operator error but can cause significant downtime or poor part quality as well as an overall dissatisfaction with the process. If the process were to be more automated, there would be less room for human error since the interaction between the end user and the machine is minimised. The benefit of such system would be the possibility of reliably using FDM 3D printers in educational, professional and commercial settings with much greater efficiency and quality. Further research needs to be conducted into how automation of this technology could impact various sectors. In addition, it is important to analyse the various makes and models of available FDM printers and how these would interact with filament processing system. Finally, it is vital to identify and resolve issues of material wastage which would boost efficiency and reduce cost.
The Major Project research has shown several other filament related issues that often lead to material wastage or damage to machine or printed part. The goal of this PhD would be to further explore such issues and potential solutions like those proposed in the Major Project. The system developed initially is a good demonstrator of the possibility to automate filament processing to and from several printers at once. Such mechanism of loading, unloading, cutting and verifying filament could be a vital part of an overall system of filament management. The final system would include additional components to preserve filament qualities, track filament usage, allow for file processing and printer control and other solutions aimed at automating the process. The research of the PhD would focus on solving the most prevalent roadblocks to continuous production and quality improvement. Identification of the weakest points and potential causes in the process of FDM 3D printing would allow to make improvements to enable continuous manufacturing in various environments.