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:
   1. Use a purge material between material changes to prevent contamination from a previously extruded material. For more information, refer to Purge Materials.
   2. Clean the feed system with compressed air between material changes
2. If the contamination is from material degradation:
   1. Use a purge material periodically if extruding a material prone to degradation
   2. Minimize print temperatures to reduce degradation
   3. 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:
   1. Reassess the feedstock production process to minimize contamination
   2. Store the feedstock in closed containers
   3. 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.