Research on the micro-extrusion characteristic of mini-screw in the screw extruding spray head

Abstract

Extrusion production capacity is a chief factor of measuring how good the extruding spray head of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is. The main geometrical parameters of screw and barrel (the active length of screw, the diameter of screw, the helix angle, the width of screw arris, the depth of screw channel, the clearance between screw, and barrel, etc.,) and the processing parameters such as screw speed, the pressure of nozzle are closely related to extrusion production capacity. In this article, the spray head is designed to be a special mini-screw extruding spray head and the mini-screw is different from common screw. The characteristics of the mini-screw in the research are that it is small in size, with narrow screw channel and wide screw arris structurally. Based on hydrodynamics and melt conveying theory, the micro-extrusion characteristics of mini-screw used in the screw extruding spray head of FDM were discussed in detail in this article. The relationship between extrusion production capacity and the main geometrical parameters of screw and barrel and the processing parameters is researched. Theoretical analysis was performed to find out the quantitative relationships between production capacity of extrusion and main parameters (the screw speed, main geometrical size of screw, the clearance between screw and barrel, and the pressure of nozzle, etc.,) so that the theoretical guidance on the design of spray head with mini-screw could be provided. The characteristic curves of mini-screw and nozzle are analyzed to find out the jointed work point of spray head. The main factors influencing extrusion capacity of nozzle are discussed in this article. Furthermore, the development of FDM will be promoted and the micro-extrusion theory would be more perfect by the research.