ReDeTec ProtoCycler User manual

Operations Manual
Rev. 1.3

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction to the ProtoCycler ........................................................................................................................3
1.1 Safety...........................................................................................................................................................3
1.1.1 General Safety:......................................................................................................................................3
1.1.2 Extrusion Safety:....................................................................................................................................4
1.2 ProtoCycler Layout .......................................................................................................................................4
2.0 Grinding ...........................................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Grinder Operation ........................................................................................................................................6
2.1.1 Grinder Safety: ......................................................................................................................................6
2.1.2 Grinder First Time Setup:.......................................................................................................................6
2.1.3 Operation:.............................................................................................................................................6
2.2 Sorting Ground Material:..............................................................................................................................7
2.3 Regrind Size & Extruding Recycled Plastic......................................................................................................7
3.0 Important Things to Know Before Extruding......................................................................................................8
3.1 Puller Wheel Storage....................................................................................................................................8
3.2 Cleanliness ...................................................................................................................................................8
3.3 Plastic Care: Dry vs Wet - Clean vs Dirty ........................................................................................................9
3.4 Opaque vs Transparent Plastic.................................................................................................................... 10
3.5 Spooler Set Up............................................................................................................................................ 10
3.5.1 Spooler Assembly Instructions:............................................................................................................13
3.6 Light Guide Alignment ................................................................................................................................ 13
3.6.1 What you need to check Light Guide Alignment:..................................................................................14
3.6.2 Light Guide Alignment Overview:......................................................................................................... 14
3.6.3 Step 1 - Adjusting the sensor height..................................................................................................... 15
3.6.4 Step 2 - Evenly lighting the sensor........................................................................................................ 16
3.6.5 Step 3 - Calibrating the readings ..........................................................................................................17
4.0 Extrusion Operational Instructions..................................................................................................................18
4.1 Overview.................................................................................................................................................... 18
4.2 Initial Extrusion Steps for both Manual and Automatic:............................................................................... 18
4.3 Automatic Extrusion ................................................................................................................................... 19
4.3.1 Automatic Extrusion Steps................................................................................................................... 19
4.4 Manual Extrusion ....................................................................................................................................... 22
4.4.1 Manual Extrusion Steps: ...................................................................................................................... 22
5.0 Intro to the ProtoCycler Purge Procedure (PPP)............................................................................................... 24
5.1 Purging.......................................................................................................................................................24

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5.1.1 Short Purge .........................................................................................................................................24
5.1.2 Disco Purge ......................................................................................................................................... 25
5.3 Purge Tips .................................................................................................................................................. 25
6.0 Congratulations!............................................................................................................................................. 26
7.0 Appendix........................................................................................................................................................ 27

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1.0 Introduction to the ProtoCycler
Welcome and thank you for joining the ProtoCycler community! ProtoCycler is designed to provide an easy to use
experience and automatically take care of the extrusion process for you, using an advanced control system to
monitor and control operation.
This manual will guide you to unlocking the operations and extrusion potential of your ProtoCycler extrusion system.
Depending on what operating mode you become accustomed to, you may wish to have the “ProtoCycler Command
Center Overview” document handy or already open. This operations manual details basic setup and operation of
ProtoCycler, including key limitations such as constraints on the size of ground particles for extrusion, and safety
warnings. To avoid bodily harm or damage to your machine, it is recommended that you read this entire document
before proceeding with operation. For further troubleshooting and documentation, please check out
http://www.redetec.com/support.
This guide is intended as a comprehensive reference and is somewhat long - though we do encourage you to read it
fully. As a recycling business, we encourage you to keep a digital copy handy at all times on the computer on which
PCC is installed, rather than printing the full manual.
1.1 Safety
As always, safety first when operating equipment of this caliber. Please thoroughly review the safety precautions
before proceeding with ProtoCycler operation. Failure to do so may result in damage to your device or bodily
harm.
1.1.1 General Safety:

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1.1.2 Extrusion Safety:
Never extrude PVC or any plastic whose type is unknown. The fumes could be lethal! ProtoCycler currently
supports PLA and ABS. An exciting experience the ProtoCycler provides is the ability to experiment with new
materials and colours through our software. It is important that you understand the material you are extruding and
what is released when thermally broken down. If the material will release toxic fumes then you should not extrude
it. For instance PVC will release chlorine gas and under no circumstances should you try to extrude it with the
ProtoCycler. ABS on the other hand is commonly used in 3D printing –but, for safety reasons, still requires proper
ventilation to the outside.
1.2 ProtoCycler Layout
Before we go any further, let’s learn some key terminology that will be used throughout this guide. The following
images outline the key areas of importance. Many of the terms are intuitive in meaning.
Figure 1: Above shows a general overview of ProtoCycler’s anatomy (Front View).

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Figure 2: Above shows general overviews of the left and right sides, respectively, of the ProtoCycler
Figure 3: Above shows a general overview of the user interface (UI) of ProtoCycler. TODO FIX THIS
Figure 4: From left to right - Nozzle Screen, Nozzle Breaker Plate, Nozzle Cap.

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2.0 Grinding
2.1 Grinder Operation
The ProtoCycler must be powered on at all times to operate the grinder! The grinder relies on an electromagnet
interlock that engages the grinder drive train only when supplied with power. The electromagnet is calibrated to
disengage the interlock at set torque limit value to prevent damage to the gear train. Lastly, the grinder will only
work if the two interlock switches are engaged while the unit is powered on. One switch is engaged by the grinder
lid, and the other, by the grinder drawer.
2.1.1 Grinder Safety:
Please thoroughly review the safety precautions before proceeding with grinder operation. Failure to do so may
result in serious injury or irreparable damage to your device.
2.1.2 Grinder First Time Setup:
1. Remove the Crank Arm and Allen Key from the packaging.
2. Use the Allen Key to remove the screw and washer from the Grinder Crankshaft.
3. Place the support washer onto the crankshaft.
4. Install the Crank Arm over the hex on the Crankshaft with the handle facing outwards
oNote: the hex size is 5/16”.
5. Replace the screw with the washer under it, and tighten until snug.
2.1.3 Operation:
Note: It is not advised to operate the Grinder while the Extruder is running. Grinder operation may shift or vibrate
the unit which may affect filament quality.
1. Power on your ProtoCycler
2. Remove the Grinder Lid and place the part you wish to grind into the grinder hopper. Place the lid back in
the hopper. The lid and drawer must be correctly installed in order to operate the Grinder.
While the lid only needs to be partially in, the drawer must be fully seated against the back wall.
Particulates may block this, and so it is necessary to make sure the drawer slot is clean of debris before
reinserting the drawer.
3. To grind, first rotate the Grinder Handle counter-clockwise to ensure the interlock is engaged. Then press
down on the Grinder Lid Plunger and rotate the Grinder Handle clockwise. Viewing through the clear area
of the Grinder Lid you will see the Grinder Teeth spin inwards.
4. During operation, if at any time the load on the Grinder Teeth exceeds the maximum, the Grinder Interlock
will disengage. Reverse the grinder all the way until the part is pulled off of the teeth by the clearers, and

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then attempt grinding again. If unsuccessful, you may need to fully remove the part and reduce its size by
other means, or otherwise reduce the number of parts you are grinding at once.
5. When you are done grinding, remove the Grinder Drawer to retrieve the regrind. Sort the particulates and
re-grind the oversized bits. See the following section on sorting regrind for extrusion.
2.2 Sorting Ground Material:
When grinding, depending on the material type, density and shape, it may be necessary to sort the regrind using the
provided sorting mechanism, and re-grind the ground material that isn’t small enough. The sorting mechanism lives
inside of the grinder drawer. It is a liner comprised of two levels of offset holes used to sift through the ground
material and only allow ground material of appropriate extrusion size through.
1. Review section on desired regrind size, below.
2. Lift the sorting mechanism most of the way out of the drawer, and hold it so they are still overlapping.
3. Shake the two side to side, up and down, until it seems the only particles left in the sorter are too large to
fall through.
4. You may also wish to shake the sorter over a large pan or bucket to allow a little more freedom of motion.
Make sure whatever you choose for your “catch container”, it is clean of contaminants. Rubbing alcohol is
an excellent choice for cleaning your container as it dissolves and cleans surface contaminants while
evaporating quickly! Using soap and water is fine, but make sure your grinder drawer/container is fully dry
before using it with your ProtoCycler system.
5. Remove the sorting mechanism and pour the large particles that remain in the sorter back into a container
for regrind or back into the Grinder Hopper. Pour the small particles that made it into the drawer (or catch
container of your choice) into a container or plastic bag to save for extrusion.
6. You will want to collect regrind and dry it as a large batch before packaging or using it for extrusion. See
section on wet/dry plastic.
2.3 Regrind Size & Extruding Recycled Plastic
The size of pellets/regrind particles entering your extruder is very important. If the plastic media is too large in
any dimension, it can jam your extruder. Using 100% regrind can also lead to jamming. De-jamming is a difficult
process which may require partial disassembly of your unit.
1. The appropriate pellet size that can be used in your ProtoCycler’s Extruder is 0.125" to 0.2" in diameter.
Pellets that do not fit in this size range will not pass through the Extruder Hopper Filter. Particles over 0.2"
in any dimension may jam your extruder. While having some portion of pellets be undersized is fine, the
extruder hasn't been tested with high concentration of small particles yet.
WARNING: The Extruder Hopper Filter does not replace the act of proper pre-sorting. The Extruder
Hopper Filter is a final protection for the Extruder to reduce the chances of issues. It is your
responsibility to ensure proper sorting before using ground recycled plastic.
Use the sorting mechanism to ensure all of your regrind particles are small enough. See section on sorting
in the Grinder section, above.
2. Regrind must be mixed with virgin pellets. 50% recycled plastic is the recommended regrind ratio, though
up to 70% with well ground regrind has been successful. Extruding 100% regrind may jam your extruder!
High consistency in size of your regrind will improve filament quality.
3. Note that 50% is a statistically proven percentage and subject to vary depending on material and regrind
size.

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3.0 Important Things to Know Before Extruding
3.1 Puller Wheel Storage
The plastic is pulled from the extruder nozzle using 2 wheels. These 2 wheels have soft silicone tires, and use a spring
to hold force between them for gripping the filament. If left stationary in one position for an extended period of
time, the tires can develop a flat! Therefore, it is important to disengage the spring and rotate the puller idler
wheel out of position when not un use to avoid developing a flat. The following images clearly depict Puller
operation and Puller storage positions.
Figure 5: Shows the puller idler wheel spring engaged (left image), and disengaged (right image).
3.2 Cleanliness
It is important to make sure your device is clean before use. We make sure to thoroughly clean each ProtoCycler
before shipping, but over time dust can accumulate. Before extruding, inspect your extruder hopper for dust and
other contaminants. If material other than the plastic you wish to process makes it through the system then you
risk defects in the output filament.
ProtoCycler also uses two light sensors to read filament diameter output. We recommend using a canister of dry
compressed air (“computer duster”) to blow-out any dust or particles that may block the light sensor. We will show
you how to know if there is dust getting in the way of the LED or photoresistor in the “Light Guide Alignment” section
of this manual. If compressed air doesn’t do the trick then we also recommend using a softer material (a skinny piece
of PLA filament works very well) to clean the photoresistor “slot” on the UI panel where the LED shines light into.
Never use metal or anything sharp to clean the diameter sensors, as permanent damage can occur.
Lastly, if other un-meltable materials or dissimilar materials with higher melting temperature than your plastic of
choice enter your system, youmay find over time that your nozzle becomes clogged. Referring to Fig 4 (Nozzle parts),
inside of the Nozzle Cap there is a breaker plate and screen whose purposes are to aid in building stable pressure,
and to act as a last line of defence against contaminants entering your filament. In the event that your screen
becomes clogged, please contact ReDeTec support for assistance in how to clean your screen! This process requires
special care and safety when executing and a trained specialist will be happy to advise.

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3.3 Plastic Care: Dry vs Wet - Clean vs Dirty
Similar to filament, you want to make sure your plastic is dry and kept clean prior to use. All plastic is inherently
“hygroscopic”, meaning it readily absorbs moisture from the air into its molecular structure. This moisture is your
enemy when it comes to extrusion! Extruding with wet plastic will cause the moisture to be vaporized during
extrusion, causing bubbles in the output and vastly changing the extrusion properties. In most cases this will prevent
you from achieving high quality consistent filament.
Extruding wet plastic will likely produce unusable filament! Depending on the grade, the plastic may absorb
moisture from the air very quickly. Thus it is very important to follow a strict regimen of properly drying, and
managing your dried plastic before extrusion.
The drying process is simple and may be done using an oven, toaster oven, or food dehydrator. If using an oven or
toaster oven the moist air must be removed for proper drying. Plastic manufacturers will give specific
recommendations on drying temperatures and times. Temperatures and times used for ABS and PLA are shown in
Table 1.
Table 1 below shows the Drying Guide for ReDeTec Supported Plastics.
Plastic (grade)
Temperature
Time (hours)
PLA (4043D)
80oC (175oF)
4
ABS (250-X10)
80-90oC (175-194oF)
4
Make sure your drying system is already preheated before starting the timer for the drying times stated in Table 1.
Note, ReDeTec currently supports PLA and ABS. If you have a specific plastic type and grade that you would like us
to focus on next, please do not hesitate to reach out to us with requests.
After drying, plastic must immediately be stored in an air-tight container or bag with desiccants until extrusion,
otherwise it will quickly reabsorb moisture from the air again.
All pellets purchased from ReDeTec inc. come pre-dried with desiccants in a sealed bag. This ensures that the plastic
is dry and ready to extrude right away. However, while exposed to air the plastic will be absorbing moisture, and if
left out for too long will need to be re-dried. Absorption rate is fully dependent on the ambient humidity, so you can
slow this process by operating in a dry environment.
Ground plastic parts on the other hand, will have had plenty of time exposed to the environment, and must always
be dried for best results. Best practice is to collect sorted, ground bits in a bag or container until you have enough
to dry and extrude a full batch.
Just as your extruder should be kept clean of contaminants prior to and during operation, the same applies to the
plastic itself. We take special care to avoid contaminants entering the plastic supply. If dirt or a higher melting
temperature plastic makes its way into the plastic you are extruding, you may encounter inconsistencies in the melt
output and/or irregularities in the consistency of your filament diameter. Clean-dry plastic will yield a smooth and
consistent output if all other conditions are correct as well.

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3.4 Opaque vs Transparent Plastic
Due to the nature of the diameter sensors used for control, ProtoCycler does not currently support extruding
transparent filaments. For a naturally transparent plastic such as PLA, colorants must be added to make the filament
opaque.
Included with ProtoCycler is a sample of colorants to use with the included plastic, and additional colorants may be
purchased from ReDeTec along with plastic pellets.
3.5 Spooler Set Up
Before setting up your spooler, please check to ensure all of the parts in the image below are included with your
ProtoCycler.
Figure 6: Spooler Kit Parts
In addition to the above parts, you will need to retrieve the spooler base that slides out from the side of the
ProtoCycler as shown in the image below.

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Figure 7: Spooler parts bundle and spooler base shown pulled out from its recess.
The following illustrations in Fig 8 below outline how to assemble the spooler and correspond to the set of written
instructions that follow it.

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Figure 8: Step by step numbered illustrative guide to assembling the spooler.

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3.5.1 Spooler Assembly Instructions:
Warning: The ProtoCycler must be powered-off when installing and plugging in the spooler. Unplugging or
plugging in the spooler while ProtoCycler is powered can permanently damage the main circuit board!
1. Slide the Spooler Shaft through the bearing in the motor mount bracket in the direction shown.
2. Slide the Spacer onto the shaft so it rests against the bearing and is clear of the pin hole in the shaft.
3. Slide the Pin into the hole in the shaft and hold it there.
4. Slide Spool Hub 1 onto the shaft as shown, ensure the pin seats properly into its groove. NOTE: Spool Hub
1 does NOT have a nut in it!
5. Place a spool over the shaft so it rests against the tapered face of Hub 1.
6. Thread Hub 2 onto the shaft and spin until it is contacting the spool. Now tighten until the hubs are tightly
holding the spool, while ensuring that the spool is being held straight.
7. Slide the shaft into the bushing in the Support Bracket.
8. Ensure the thumb screws in the Spooler Base are as loose as possible, then place the assembly into the base
as shown. Tighten the screws so they are nice and snug.
9. Insert the Spooler Base back into the side of the ProtoCycler and plug the stepper motor into its receptacle,
also located on the left side of the unit.
10. Now it is time to turn on your ProtoCycler and set the spool geometry settings in ProtoCycler's User
Interface.
Failure to correctly set spool geometry may result in improper spreading of filament onto the spool.
i) Plug ProtoCycler's power cord into a grounded outlet and turn on the main power switch.
ii) From the UI Home, select "Settings" and then "Spool size".
iii) In the SPOOL SIZE window, you may now set the width and diameter of the spool. The width figure is
the width contained inside the spool (ie the width filament will be spread over) and the diameter is the
inner diameter that filament will be spooled on. Change these values by using the left and right
buttons.
iv) Return to the top and push the right button to save the spool geometry settings.
The spooler is now set up and ready for extrusion!
3.6 Light Guide Alignment
Light guide alignment is key to your ProtoCycler’s vision system to verify and maintain filament diameter! Every
ProtoCycler is aligned and tested for performance before shipping, but sometimes things are bumped and moved
between when the ProtoCycler ships to the next time it is turned on again by you, the owner. Taking care and
patience to assure your light guides are properly aligned will pay off in the long run.
Depending on when your ProtoCycler was built you may have one of two 3D printed variants! Neither is better in
terms of function. They both work to align the LED beam of light, but an iteration was made to improve fabrication
and assembly time internally. The following image details the two types of Light guides.

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Figure 9: Light Guide V1.0 (left). Light Guide V1.1 (right).
3.6.1 What you need to check Light Guide Alignment:
•You’ll need two sizes of dowels. Drill bit shafts are an excellent option (use the smooth shank, not the
cutting flutes side). It’s very important that the dowels are a consistent, known size - DO NOT use extruded
filament!
•ReDeTec uses a 1.83mm and a 2.56mm dowel to align the light guides, but you can use anything close within
+/- 0.1mm. The larger dowel size is used for the sensor closest to the nozzle, and the smaller dowel size is
used for the sensor closest to the puller wheel. For reference we will call these the Puller Sensor and the
Nozzle Sensor.
•You will also need to be connected to a computer, to use ProtoCycler Command Center (“PCC”).
3.6.2 Light Guide Alignment Overview:
With ProtoCycler connected to PCC, start manual mode extrusion via the ProtoCycler U.I. (For guidance, refer to the
ProtoCycler Command Center Overview). You will see a screen that looks like this upon manual mode startup:
Figure 10a: Startup screen of manual extrusion with all readings toggled off (by clicking the “Labels” button above
the “Time” readout).
The two flat lines seen in Fig 10aabove represent the raw data read by the light sensor photoresistor array for the
diameter of filament at the nozzle (left - brown line) and the final diameter of the filament at the puller wheel (right

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- dark green line). These lines being flat at a value of 255 (with a small amount of “drop-off” on the right) is a good
sign that your light guides are well aligned. If the light guides are lower than 255 or have severe angle to them, such
as Fig 10bbelow, alignment is required.
Note that “Alignment” refers to two separate tasks. The first is to ensure the light is evenly lighting the sensor. The
second is to ensure that the readings are accurate.
Figure 10b: Two examples of incorrectly aligned light guides –the nozzle is very bad, but the puller still has far too
much drop off on the right side to work.
3.6.3 Step 1 - Adjusting the sensor height
1. The first step is to ensure the sensors themselves are aligned. Each sensor has a thumbscrew that, if
loosened, permits the sensor to move up and down, as shown below in Fig 11.The sensors are adjusted
from the factory and neither sensor should be adjusted unless the filament is seen to be frequently
“falling off the edge” of the sensor, as shown in Fig 19 (see “Extrusion - Automatic Mode”)

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Figure 11: UI Thumbscrews for adjusting the height position of the photoresistors.
2. Typically the puller sensor’s photoresistor will be positioned all the way at the bottom range of its
movement for best results. It has been adjusted this way from the factory, and should not need
adjustment!
3. The nozzle sensor is a little more tricky depending on what material is being extruded and at what diameter;
both of which will affect how the filament passes the first diameter sensor at the nozzle. Typically, the
nozzle diameter sensor’s photoresistor will be positioned ~1mm (~0.04”) above the midpoint of its range
of motion. The nozzle sensor’s photoresistor height can also be fine tuned during operation; this will be
addressed in the extrusion instructions of this manual.
4. If adjustment is required, loosen the thumbscrew holding that sensor, and move the sensor up and down.
Take extreme care to ensure the sensor remains correctly oriented in its slot - it cannot be angled or
offset sideways, or it will be impossible to align the LED lights.
3.6.4 Step 2 - Evenly lighting the sensor
1. If the sensor is not evenly lit (Fig 10b), the LED needs to be re-aimed to ensure that the response curve
shown in Fig 10a is obtained. The process is the same for both the Nozzle and Puller sensors.
2. Both light guide versions 1.0 and 1.1 allow the LED to be angled up or down, to ensure the light guide is
evenly lit. Their operation differs however - see step 3 for version 1.0 and step 4 for version 1.1
3. Version 1.0 has two screws facing “up”, which push on opposite sides of a lever to angle the LED shaft. To
aim the LED up, first loosen the front screw (farther from the user), then tighten the back screw (closer to
the user). To aim the LED down, first loosen the rear screw, then tighten the front screw. Adjust the LED
incrementally, monitoring the response pattern shown on the screen until it is an even response as shown
in Fig 10a. Finally, ensure both screws are snugged down to prevent further movement. Always loosen one
screw before tightening the other. Also, be sure to not overtighten the screws - they should just be snug.
4. Version 1.1 has only one screw facing “up”, that clamps the LED shaft in position. To adjust the LED, first
loosen the screw. Then use the shaft knob on the left side of the light guide to adjust the angle of the LED.
You may want to support the other end of the shaft with your thumb for more control - see Fig 12 below
for reference. When the desired response pattern as shown in Fig 10a is obtained, simply re-tighten the
screw.
Figure 12: How to grip the light guide shaft to adjust LED angle.

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3.6.5 Step 3 - Calibrating the readings
1. Finally, we need to ensure the light guide readings are accurate. This is where we’ll use the dowels. The
procedure is the same for both the puller and nozzle sensor, with minor differences that will be noted as
required.
2. Place the ~1.83mm “dowel” in between the puller wheels as shown in Figure 13. Similarly, check the nozzle
sensor using your ~2.56mm dowel of choice. Do your best to align the dowel with the nozzle output as seen
in Figure 13.Make sure the puller idler wheel’s spring is attached! This will effectively position the dowel
at the right height as it squishes the puller wheel into position.
Figure 13 shows the light guide alignment dowel positioned in between the puller wheels on the left, and
aligned with the nozzle on the right, in preparation for light guide alignment.
3. Looking at the GUI (graphical user interface) of your PCC, you should notice that the flat raw data line
(representing light being read by the photoresistor) is now a “U-shaped” trough. This is representative of
the shadow cast by the LED shining on the dowel, and is shown below in Figure 14.
Figure 14: Puller sensor raw data reading with 1.83mm dowel.

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4. If either light sensor is not reading the correct value in the Raw Data Stream (“Nozz” and “Final” diameter
readings) then the light guides require adjustment by sliding them forward and aft.
5. Both light guides V1.0 and V1.1 have a screw on their side, facing to the users right. In both cases, loosening
this screw allows the light guide to be slid fore and aft, which in turn decreases or increases the reading
respectively. To be clear, sliding the LED mount back towards the user increases the diameter reading.
Conversely, the diameter reading will decrease as you move the slider carriage closer to the sensor. This is
how you achieve nominal reading based on your dowel’s true diameter. This is only effective if the angle of
the LED is correctly aligned.
In all likelihood you will only have to adjust the LED’s angle. This is more subject to movement if
accidentally bumped compared to the slider position.
Note the nozzle sensor’s reading can be a little “off” from nominal - up to 0.1mm - and still operate just fine.
The software will adjust the puller speed accordingly. What is critical is that the final diameter sensor’s
reading be as accurate and precise as possible.
Diameter sensor alignment can be a bit of an iterative process. Sliding the LED mount forward or backwards may
necessitate repeating Step 2, evenly lighting the sensor. Similarly, If the sensor itself is moved up or down, and
adjustments are required to evenly light the sensor, the sensor should be re calibrated (Step 3) to ensure a correct
reading. Ultimately, you want to achieve Figure 14’s response for both sensors - the key points are that the shadow
is right in the middle of the sensor response pattern, that the pattern is a flat line at 255 where it’s not blocked by
the filament, and that the diameter reading is exactly accurate as reported.
4.0 Extrusion Operational Instructions
4.1 Overview
Now that we are all tuned up and have assured our ProtoCycler is clean and diameter sensors are aligned, we can
extrude filament! We will guide you through Automatic Mode Extrusion and Manual Mode.
Before starting either automatic or manual extrusion, please make sure you’ve setup your Spooler correctly,
including Step 10 of Spooler Set Up (setting spool dimensions on the ProtoCycler). If this step is not taken then
the filament will not spool nicely.
Please be sure to operate your ProtoCycler in a clean, dry environment, at ambient air temperature (~23C is ideal
temperature for your room to be). We recommend you maintain ambient room temperature conditions as that is
the average temperature ReDeTec calibrates each ProtoCycler in.
Note every unit is primed with plastic (PLA or ABS depending on what you purchased) and calibrated before leaving
ReDeTec. This means there is plastic already in your melt section! Depending on how much time has passed since
the ProtoCycler was calibrated, the plastic in the melt section may have absorbed moisture from the air. If too much
moisture has been absorbed into the melt section plastic, purging may be required - simply run the unit for ~10
minutes to flush out the old plastic with new, dried plastic.
4.2 Initial Extrusion Steps for both Manual and Automatic:
1. Fill your hopper with dry plastic and colourant of your choosing (if any). Remember colourant is critical if
the plastic you are processing is naturally clear when melted (PLA extrudes transparent for example). Mix
1 tablespoon of colourant for every 500g of plastic.
2. After powering on ProtoCycler, choose whether you would like to connect to your computer or not.

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Automatic extrusion does not require a computer connection, but it is useful for experimentation
and/or troubleshooting with new materials or different ambient conditions. To connect to a computer,
follow the procedure in the ProtoCycler Command Center guide. Note that for manual extrusion, you
must be connected to ProtoCycler Command Center.
3. Navigate to the “Extrude” screen using the d-pad on the ProtoCycler. Press the right button to select
Extrude and then either “Automatic” or “Manual. Finally, select “Begin Extrusion” – and proceed to the
corresponding section below.
4.3 Automatic Extrusion
ProtoCycler comes with two preloaded extrusion profiles - PLA and ABS. It is important that you have the most recent
firmware and EEPROM loaded onto your ProtoCycler for these profiles to work optimally. Automatic mode also
allows you to upload and run your own custom profiles via the PCC. Please refer to the ProtoCycler Command Center
Overview manual for guidance on what all the different variables are. Custom profiles must be created and uploaded
via the PCC. We suggest creating, testing, and uploading in manual mode extrusion before proceeding with custom
automatic profile extrusion.
4.3.1 Automatic Extrusion Steps
1. After completing steps 1-3 in “Initial Steps for Extrusion”, above, your ProtoCyler will begin preheating to
thermalization temperature. Once up to temperature, the extruder will hold here for 100 seconds to
thermalize the melt section. This allows the hot (melt) section of your device to reach a uniform
temperature throughout before initiating the rest of the extrusion start-up sequence. This may take a few
minutes depending on ambient conditions and the type of plastic you are using.
2. Following thermalization, the extruder will preheat to the extrusion temperature of your selected plastic.
By default this will be either PLA or ABS processing temperatures.
3. Once up to extrusion temperature, you will hear a chime and a prompt on your ProtoCycler’s UI screen
saying “Filament Ready”. At this time, you can now use tweezers or needle nose pliers to feed the plastic
from the nozzle in between and through the puller wheels. Be careful! - The nozzle is extremely hot at this
point in the startup sequence; follow safety guidelines to avoid personal injury or harm. Make sure you
have engaged the puller wheel idler spring! See Figure 15 for reference. Once the filament is being
correctly pulled through the puller wheels, select “Filament Ready” on the D-pad to confirm to ProtoCycler
that it may begin stabilization. Note that for safety concerns, there is a 2 minute timeout feature, and if you
fail to select “Filament Ready” within this time, ProtoCycler will automatically begin cooldown.
Figure 15: Using tweezers or pliers to feed the filament from the nozzle to the puller wheels.
4. ProtoCycler will now enter the “Stabilization” phase. No action is required here. Your ProtoCycler control
system will wait for the filament diameter to become consistent enough to proceed to the spooling phase.
In the meantime, just let the filament “dump” off the front-side of the UI. Stabilization may take a few