Precision Enhancement in Filament Extrusion Through an Alternative Cooling Solution for Industrial Engineering

The current development of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology focuses on several key areas. These can be briefly described in various ways, including the design of FFF devices, their print speed, workspace size, and the precision of the produced parts. Given the pace and trends in these technologies, increasing demands are placed on the materials used in FFF technology. This article describes the design and verification of the effectiveness of a device intended for the active cooling of the created PVB (polyvinyl butyral) material. The goal is to create a cooling unit capable of rapidly cooling the material over a significant distance, thereby stabilizing the filament diameter and preventing potential deformation in subsequent processes. The verification of the cooling unit’s effectiveness occurs at various cooling intensities, and, in conclusion, presents the results of these measurements and their impact on the stability of the filament diameter and the reduction of undesirable effects caused by uneven or slow cooling of the filament.