Conversion of a Commercial 3-Axis Milling Machine into a 3D Printer

This paper explains the authors work in converting a commercial 3-axis milling machine into a 3D printer., The technology behind the printer is the fused filament fabrication process, a variant of fused deposition modeling. The paper details the added components for the conversion including the tooling mount for the extruder, the extruder and temperature controls as well as modification to the motion controller card for the 4th axis used in the extrusion process, and the challenge of incorporating software changes and additions in making the conversion successful. The paper concludes with cost estimation figures and printer performance results.