3D printing pens are fairly gimmicky. Some notably gifted individuals could make cool issues with them, however the “3D doodling” concept actually doesn’t work for the overwhelming majority of us. Nonetheless, we are able to put 3D printing pens into service as plastic welders. The issue is that they aren’t notably good at that, both. So, Alex from half-baked-research got down to construct the final word 3D print welder.
As Alex explains, becoming a member of two plastic elements on this manner is extra like welding than it’s like hot-gluing. With scorching glue, you’re simply sticking two elements collectively. The warmth’s solely goal is to liquify the recent glue stick. Whenever you weld metallic, you’re really making each the elements and the filler molten. That causes them to all circulation collectively and grow to be a single piece of fabric. That’s very robust (weld joints are sometimes stronger than the encircling materials) and that’s what we would like when becoming a member of two items of plastic — both 3D-printed or injection-molded.
Alex’s plan was to make one thing akin to a MIG welding gun: it heats up the filler (the filament) and the items to hitch, whereas additionally feeding the filler. However extruded thermoplastic doesn’t circulation like molten MIG wire does, so Alex’s design has some particular provisions to assist with becoming a member of.
The {hardware} is normal 3D printing stuff: mainly all the things from the extruder carriage jammed right into a handheld instrument. Many of the elements are generic, however Alex did use a Bambu Lab hotend (which has an built-in nozzle and warmth break). Alex’s intention is for the nozzle to soften each the filler filament and the thermoplastic on the elements being joined. However he additionally together with a sort of aluminum “tamping” instrument, which helps to actually squish the molten plastic collectively and create a stable bond.
Alex even examined the power of welds executed with this instrument in comparison with different strategies and displayed the info, even though it doesn’t make his instrument look wonderful. Personally, I respect him for having the humility to do this. However whereas his instrument doesn’t produce welds as robust as the recent air approach does, they’re higher than an everyday 3D printing pen and they’re cleaner, too. Extra importantly, this instrument doesn’t injury and deform the encircling plastic, which scorching air tends to do.
