Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is a widely used additive manufacturing technique, yet it suffers from limitations in flow control that can negatively impact print quality.
This thesis explores the development of a measurement setup aimed at characterising filament behaviour during extrusion. By combining four-point resistance measurements with mechanical force sensing and motor encoder feedback, the system captures real-time data on filament flow dynamics in the hot-end of an FFF printer.
The design emphasises minimal intrusion into the printing process, achieving accurate and high-resolution measurements of resistance and force. Preliminary results indicate the potential of this system to uncover transient flow phenomena and inform closed-loop control strategies. Future work will expand on validating these findings and integrating the setup into more intelligent extrusion control architectures.