An expandable spool includes a first hub extending from a first flange and includes a first plurality of interlocking portions. A second hub extending from a second flange includes a second plurality of interlocking portions that is connectible to the first plurality of interlocking portions to define a spacing between the first flange and the second flange for holding material on the spool.

A reusable spool has a base and an upper flange. The base has a basal flange and an outer tube having a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and multiple assembling portions. The first end of the outer tube is connected to the basal flange. The multiple assembling portions are connected to the outer tube, disposed adjacent to the second end of the outer tube, and disposed distantly away from the basal flange. The upper flange is screwed with the base and has a plate and a connecting portion. The plate is disposed parallel to and spaced from the basal flange, and abuts against the second end of the outer tube. The connecting portion is formed at a middle portion of the plate and connected to the multiple assembling portions. The reusable spool is refillable and environmentally friendly.

A fused deposition modeling filament production apparatus including an extrusion unit comprising an extruder, feeding means for feeding FDM raw material into the extrusion unit, a filament discharge at an end of the extruder, a filament cooling unit linked to the filament discharge, a filament buffer unit for receiving and storing the filament from the cooling unit. The extrusion unit, the filament cooling unit and the filament buffer unit are accommodated in a frame. The extrusion unit is horizontally accommodated in a top section of the frame, having the feeding means on top of the extrusion unit and extending vertically from the extrusion unit. The filament discharge is arranged for substantially vertically downward discharging the extruded filament from the extrusion unit. The filament cooling unit and filament buffer unit are accommodated in a lower section of the frame below the extrusion unit.

The present invention relates to a reel (10) for winding up and unwinding filaments, comprising a circular middle element (3), circular flanges (1,2) positioned on either side of said middle element (3), wherein the diameter of said middle element (3) is smaller than the diameter of said flanges (1,2), which middle element (3) is suitable for winding up and unwinding filaments, wherein said middle element (3) and flanges (1,2) are manufactured from a biodegradable polymer.

A monofilament line cutting tool is formed by sandwiching a cutting blade between first and second plastic sheets which are thermally bonded to one another. A monofilament line receiving slot in the plastic sheets extends to the blade whereby monofilament line bent into a U-shape may be placed in contact with the blade cutting edge. The plastic sheets are part of spool forming plastic sheet portions which are thermally bonded to one another and shaped into a spool. The plastic sheets forming the tool are selectively pivotable about a live hinge relative to the spool. The plastic sheets can be separated from one another for forming: a sphere generally around the cutting edge; a pair of elongate barrels extending parallel along each side of the monofilament line receiving slot and adjacent the cutting edge; or, a monofilament line receiving cavity extending to the blade cutting edge.

A drum-shaped package formed of a poly(lactic acid)-based monofilament 50 wt. % or more of which is constituted from lactic acid monomer, the drum-shaped package being characterized in that the dry heat shrinking stress of the monofilament in the innermost layer section of the package is 0.04 cN/dtex or less. The drum-shaped package formed of a poly(lactic acid)-based monofilament for which gauze fabric quality and higher order passability during weaving are excellent.

An expandable spool includes a first hub extending from a first flange and includes a first plurality of interlocking portions. A second hub extending from a second flange includes a second plurality of interlocking portions that is connectible to the first plurality of interlocking portions to define a spacing between the first flange and the second flange for holding material on the spool.

An object of the invention is to provide a filament for a material extrusion-type three-dimensional printer, which filament contains an aromatic polyester resin, and which overcomes the shortcomings of a filament for a material extrusion-type three-dimensional printer that is composed of an ABS resin. Provided is a filament for a material extrusion-type three-dimensional printer, the filament including an aromatic polyester resin containing 50 mol % or more of aromatic dicarboxylic acid units, and 3 mol % or more of isophthalic acid units, with respect to the total amount of dicarboxylic acid units. The aromatic polyester resin preferably has a melt flow rate (230 C., 2.16 kgf) of 7 g/10 min or more, and an intrinsic viscosity of 0.80 dL/g or less.

A filament feeding device (100) for use in 3D-printing comprising a first feeding wheel (110) configured to rotate with a first rotational shaft (112) and a second feeding wheel (120) configured to rotate with a second rotational shaft (122). The first and second feeding wheels (110, 120) are separated by a separation distance so as to allow feeding of a filament material received between said first and second filament wheels (110, 120). The filament feeding device further comprises an adjuster element (130) movable between a first distinct position (130a) setting said separation distance to a first predetermined distance, and into a second distinct position (130b) setting said separation distance to a second predetermined distance, and wherein said second predetermined separation distance is larger than said first predetermined separation distance. Further, a 3D-printer comprising such a filament feeding device is herein disclosed.

A spool assembly comprising a housing structure, a spool rotatably retained in an interior region of the housing structure, and a sealed sheath encasing the housing structure to define a barrier for the encased housing structure and the rotatably retained spool. The spool assembly further comprises a locking arm disposed outside of the sealed sheath and configured to operably engage the spool through the sealed sheath and through the housing structure in a manner that does not penetrate the sealed sheath, where the locking arm prevents the spool from rotating relative to the housing mechanism when operably engaged with the spool. The locking arm may disengage from the spool in a hands-free manner when the spool assembly is loaded into a bay of an additive manufacturing system.