Contaminated Materials

Gigabot X's pellet extruder can print with a variety of recycled regrind feedstocks. However, contaminants in the feedstock can cause a variety of issues when printing, including:

• Inconsistent extrusion
• Clogged or partially clogged nozzles
• Material degradation
• Weaker prints

Preventing and Mitigating Contamination

Methods to prevent contamination include:

1. If the contamination is from a previously printed material:
   • Use a purge material between material changes to prevent contamination from a previously extruded material. For more information, refer to Purge Materials.
   • Clean the feed system with compressed air between material changes
2. If the contamination is from material degradation:
   • Use a purge material periodically if extruding a material prone to degradation
   • Minimize print temperatures to reduce degradation
   • Some materials, like PET, undergo hydrolysis at high temperatures. To prevent this, dehydrate the material before printing.
3. If the contaminants are in the feedstock:
   • Reassess the feedstock production process to minimize contamination
   • Store the feedstock in closed containers
   • If contaminant particles are small and cannot be easily removed, try printing with a larger nozzle size.

Questions or concerns? Reach out to our support team at support@re:3D.org or open a support ticket.