Design, prototyping and testing of components for incorporating low-temperature plasma sterilizers to 3D printers

Antonio De Paolis

Design, prototyping and testing of components for incorporating low-temperature plasma sterilizers to 3D printers.

Rel. Eleonora Atzeni. Politecnico di Torino, Master of science program in Mechanical Engineering, 2022

Abstract

This thesis analyses the possibility of improving the cooling system of an FDM-type 3D printer, in this case a third-generation Ender. This work proposes to achieve the aforementioned objective by replacing the two fans that the printer has with devices that use cold plasma. This modification guarantees greater efficiency, better sterilization of the part and also a significant reduction in the noise of the ventilation system. Firstly, through a brief introduction, the aim is to present the technology of additive manufacturing, its main features, the technologies used today and the various problems and challenges to be taken into account when printing in three dimensions.

This is followed by a brief description of plasma and then its physical significance, the chemical mechanism that allows it to be generated and its beneficial effects in printing by analyzing and describing the reasons for using it to cool parts and filament