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Filament extrusion reference

Filament Recycling, Extrusion and Winding Reference

Use mass balance, solid-strand geometry, repeated diameter measurements, and pitch-synchronized winding to document a scrap-to-spool run.

Blend and yield

Required input mass = target usable mass ÷ (1 − process loss). For sequential stages, final yield = input × Π(1 − stage loss).

Percentages must be defined consistently by mass. An additive percentage can be separated from the polymer portion so recycled content is not overstated.

Solid filament throughput

Area = πd² ÷ 4. Mass rate = area × line speed × density, with units converted consistently.

The relation is a continuity check for cooled, solid filament. It does not model melt pressure or predict die-exit diameter.

Diameter statistics

Mean describes center; standard deviation and range describe spread. Pass rate is the share of sampled positions within the chosen lower and upper limits. For paired perpendicular readings, √(d₁d₂) is the circular diameter with the same elliptical area, while |d₁−d₂| ÷ mean(d₁,d₂) reports ovality percentage.

Level-wind synchronization

Spool RPM = line speed ÷ circumference. Traverse speed = pitch per revolution × spool RPM.

Pitch is distance per spool revolution, not a constant linear guide speed. Both spool RPM and traverse speed fall as the wound diameter grows at constant surface speed.

Primary and technical sources

Materials Education recycling moduleOpen-source filament diameter sensor paper3devo Filament Maker manualAmacoil traverse selection

Related recycling tools

Filament Recycling ToolsBatch BlendProcess YieldExtrusion RateDiameter QCWinder TraverseRecycling Workflow GuideExtrusion Reference