Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Noztek extrusion equipment — from setup to advanced materials processing.
We ship worldwide and provide a tracking number in advance. Standard orders typically dispatch within 3–4 working days. The Full System is built to order, so please allow approximately one week. Every machine is tested in-house before shipment.
Pellets are available from polymer distributors, specialist plastics suppliers, and directly from resin manufacturers. For UK customers, we maintain a trusted suppliers list — contact us for the latest recommendations. For international orders, search for extrusion-grade pellet suppliers in your region, or ask your university's procurement team, as most have existing supplier agreements.
Very economical. Power consumption is comparable to a domestic appliance. The real saving is raw materials: extrusion-grade pellets cost from as little as £3 per kilogram, compared to £20–£40 per kilogram for pre-made filament. For labs and makerspaces running regular print jobs, the cost per spool drops dramatically — most users recoup the cost of the machine within months.
Yes. If you have a specific material you'd like to evaluate, contact us to discuss a test extrusion. We can process your material on our equipment and provide sample filament and feedback on process parameters, helping you choose the right Noztek model for your application before committing to a purchase.
Noztek extruders handle a wide range of thermoplastics and composites. Standard materials include PLA, ABS, PETG, HDPE, PET, and PP. Our equipment also processes nylon (PA6, PA12), polycarbonate, TPE, and filled composites including carbon-fibre, glass-fibre, and metal-filled polymers. High-temperature models (HT variants, Xcalibur Servo, and Nexus) support engineering plastics such as PEEK, PEI (Ultem), PSU, and PBI blends at temperatures up to 600°C. Our stainless steel barrel and screw construction withstands abrasive compounds that would damage lesser equipment.
Yes. We recommend grinding recycled material down to granule size (5mm or smaller) and blending it 30% recycled to 70% virgin pellets. This ratio delivers consistent extrusion quality while supporting sustainable manufacturing. Suitable plastic shredders are readily available online. Many of our customers successfully recycle lab waste into high-quality filament for prototyping and production.
Absolutely. Add colour masterbatch pellets or powdered pigments to your base resin before loading the hopper. The screw mixes the colour as it processes the material. For clean colour transitions, purge the barrel between runs using a purging compound such as Asaclean or Ducapurge, or simply run natural/clear material through until the previous colour clears.
Yes. We supply nozzles for standard 1.75mm and 2.85mm (3mm) filament as standard with every machine. For custom diameters, we provide blank nozzles that you can drill to your exact specification — ideal for research applications requiring non-standard filament profiles. Just note your requirement at checkout, or purchase blank nozzles separately from our shop.
Yes — many of our customers successfully extrude composite blends. You can mix carbon fibre, glass fibre, graphene, ceramic, and metal powders with standard thermoplastics to create custom composite filaments. The key is thorough pre-mixing before loading the hopper. For advanced compound development requiring precise mixing ratios, the fusionX Mixing System is purpose-built for this task, delivering homogeneous blends that a standard single-screw extruder cannot achieve alone.
Die swell is the expansion of extruded material as it exits the nozzle — most common thermoplastics exhibit this to some degree. We intentionally under-drill our nozzles by approximately 15% to compensate. If you're working with a composite that produces filament thinner than expected, you may need a larger bore. We supply blank nozzles that you can drill to your exact requirement.
For hygroscopic materials — nylon, PETG, polycarbonate, PEEK, and most composites — drying is essential for achieving tight tolerances and avoiding bubbles, stringing, or surface defects. We supply a Spool and Resin Dehydrator purpose-built for this task. A standard oven or food dehydrator also works. The key is reaching and maintaining the correct drying temperature for the required duration before loading the hopper. PLA benefits from drying too, particularly in humid climates.
In most cases, yes. Many injection moulding grade pellets can be extruded into filament, though results vary by material. Injection moulding grades are formulated for high-shear, high-pressure processing, so you may need to adjust temperature and speed settings to achieve optimal flow at the lower pressures of screw extrusion. We recommend running a small test batch first. Contact us if you'd like guidance on a specific grade.
High-viscosity materials require higher processing temperatures, slower screw speeds, and in some cases a pre-heater band to gradually raise material temperature before the main melt zone. The Noztek Touch, Xcalibur, and Nexus all offer independent temperature zone control that helps manage viscous polymers. Start at the manufacturer's recommended processing temperature and increase in small increments until you achieve consistent flow. Real-time torque monitoring on the servo models (Xcalibur Servo and Nexus) lets you see exactly how the material is behaving inside the barrel.
The Xcalibur's single-screw design provides some distributive mixing during processing, which is sufficient for colour masterbatch and lightly filled materials. However, for thorough compounding of composite blends — such as mixing carbon fibre, graphene, or ceramic powders into a base polymer — the fusionX Mixing System is the recommended solution. The fusionX delivers the intensive mixing required for homogeneous composite formulations.
Our equipment processes the most commonly recycled thermoplastics: PLA, ABS, PETG, HDPE, PET, PP, and nylon. For best results, sort materials by type, remove contaminants, shred to 5mm granules or smaller, and blend with virgin pellets. Consistent feedstock quality is the single biggest factor in producing high-quality recycled filament. Our stainless steel construction handles the variability inherent in recycled feedstock without accelerated wear.
The process is straightforward. First, sort and clean your waste plastic by polymer type. Shred it to granules of 5mm or smaller using a plastics shredder. Blend the recycled granules with virgin pellets — we recommend a 30:70 ratio for consistent results. Dry the blend if using hygroscopic materials. Load into the hopper, set the temperature for your polymer type, and extrude. The Tolerance Puller helps maintain consistent diameter, and the Winder 2.0 spools the finished filament automatically.
Very. Unpack, plug into mains power, and you're ready to extrude — no special electrical connections, compressed air, or lengthy calibration required. Our control systems feature clear temperature displays and straightforward speed adjustment. Comprehensive user manuals with step-by-step procedures, material-specific settings, and troubleshooting guides are included with every machine and available to download from our website.
Output depends on the model and material. The Noztek Pro produces approximately 1 kg in just over 2 hours at 2.5 m/min. The Noztek Touch and Xcalibur range extrude at 8–10 m/min. The Nexus and Xcalibur Servo push output further — up to 2 kg/hour (10 m/min). Actual throughput varies with material type, processing temperature, and target diameter.
Heat the unit to 175°C, then use insulated gloves to unscrew the existing nozzle. Clean any residual plastic from the internal threads before fitting the replacement. The thermocouple slots into the designated port adjacent to the nozzle — ensure it's seated firmly for accurate temperature readings. Full step-by-step instructions with images are in the user manual included with your machine.
The Pro and Touch use a single-screw design optimised for consistent filament extrusion. Exact screw dimensions (length, diameter, compression ratio, and flight geometry) vary by model and are detailed in each product's technical specification sheet, available on the Downloads page. If you need specific measurements for research documentation or custom tooling, contact us and we'll provide the full engineering data.
Tight tolerances depend on several factors working together. First, always dry hygroscopic materials thoroughly before extrusion. Set your temperature precisely — higher temperatures produce thinner filament, lower temperatures produce thicker. Make small adjustments in 5°C increments. Use the Tolerance Puller to maintain consistent diameter under tension. On the Touch and above, independent control of pre-heater and main heater zones gives finer process control. The Xcalibur Servo and Nexus add real-time torque feedback, letting you detect and correct drift before it affects your filament.
Allow filament to cool fully before spooling — the cooling fan assists with this. For hygroscopic materials (nylon, PETG, PEEK), store finished filament in sealed bags with desiccant sachets to prevent moisture absorption. Our Filament Winder 2.0 automates the spooling process for consistent, tangle-free results. We also sell empty spools for manual winding. For long-term storage, vacuum-sealed bags offer the best moisture protection.
All Noztek equipment includes a 12-month return-to-base manufacturer's warranty covering all components and functionality. If any component develops a fault, return it and we'll replace it free of charge — no questions asked. The warranty covers manufacturing defects, component failures, and performance issues under normal operating conditions. We also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on all products.
Noztek equipment offers a low entry cost compared to industrial recycling lines, with the ability to process a wide range of common thermoplastics. You can convert waste plastic into sellable 3D printing filament, creating a revenue stream from material that would otherwise go to landfill. Desktop scale means low overheads — no factory floor required. Our machines are used by social enterprises, university recycling programmes, and small manufacturers worldwide. The full system (shredder, extruder, puller, winder) provides a complete production workflow from waste to finished spool.
User manuals for all products are available to download from the Downloads page on our website. For technical questions not covered in the manual or FAQ, contact our support team directly at info@noztek.com — we pride ourselves on responsive, knowledgeable support from people who actually build and use the equipment.
Still Have a Question?
Our team is ready to help — whether it's choosing the right extruder, processing a new material, or troubleshooting an existing setup.