In this path, the collection of PLA for composting would still connect the local 3D printing community and dispose of scrap PLA responsibly. One of the downsides is that there is no reusable output product, as it would result in biomatter that can be used as fertilizer, which can easily be achieved from food waste with much less energy consumption. Below is a flowchart of the PLA composting process.
Continue reading “Archive: Plan #3: Collecting and Composting PLA”Archive: Action Plan #1 – Collecting and Recycling 3D printing PLA Scraps
This Action Plan would include connecting with local 3D printer owners, collecting their scrap PLA (polylactic acid), cleaning and sorting it, shredding the PLA, re-melting it to produce more filament to 3D print with, and getting the new spool of filament back to someone who can use it. These steps are shown below in a story board.
Continue reading “Archive: Action Plan #1 – Collecting and Recycling 3D printing PLA Scraps”Standards and Regulations
There are not many standards in place as 3D printing is in its infant stages, and even more so recycling for 3D printing. Below are some potential standards and regulations that may be relevant to this project as it progresses.
Continue reading “Standards and Regulations”Interest in Recycling Filament
Looking through the comment sections of YouTube videos about filament recycling, it is evident that people are thinking about recycling their 3D printing scraps. They, such as myself, would rather store them for an undetermined amount of time and an unforeseeable date when they can be recycled, or at least NOT thrown in the garbage, despite not knowing anyone who is doing it locally or affordably. Here are some examples of things people are commenting on Make Anything’s Making my OWN Filament from Failed Prints with the 3Devo Composer video:
Continue reading “Interest in Recycling Filament”Tips for Extruding Filament
Extruding post-consumer plastic can by difficult. Depending on the extruder settings, filament brands (assuming its the same type of plastic), degrees of cleanliness, exposure to UV rays or other factors, how old the filament is, what humidity level(s) it was stored at/exposed to, if it has been recycled already, and many more.
Continue reading “Tips for Extruding Filament”Filabot
Filabot is a company centered around plastic recycling for 3D printing. Founded in 2011 by Tyler McNaney, Filabot currently has two different filament extruder setups (with the components available separately as add-ons), and various other tools to help with the filament extrusion process available here on their website. The benefits of Filabot’s set-up compared to other brands is the quality and durability as well as the modular design, enabling the team to upgrade and add components as they go instead of overhauling a single machine which would be costly both time-wise and financially for them and the consumer.
Continue reading “Filabot”Current Plastic Recycling Systems for 3D Printing
Currently, there is a very limited number of public initiatives to take post-consumer plastics (PCP) from scrap to reusable filament. Although there is a list of plastic shredders and filament recycling machines available on the market, they are typically extremely expensive and time-consuming, making them unattainable for individual use, forcing people that want to pursue it to make DIY and hacked versions that often produce sub-par results.
Continue reading “Current Plastic Recycling Systems for 3D Printing”The Future of PLA
Due to the socially driven negative environmental side effects of corn and other starch-based crops, scientists are looking to lignin, cellulose, chitin, food waste, and other non-petroleum-based resources for more sustainable ways of producing PLA.
Continue reading “The Future of PLA”The Shredding and Extruding Process
Post-consumer plastics (PCP) need to go through various steps before they are able to be used again as recycled material. The image below shows a condensed version of the process beginning after the collection of scrap/waste PLA.
Continue reading “The Shredding and Extruding Process”PLA Recycling: Mechanical vs. Chemical vs. Compost
After PLA is 3D printed, it can be recycled and used to 3D print again, providing it has not been combined with another substance like super glue or non-water based paint. There are three methods of recycling PLA: mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and composting. In order to quantify and compare these methods, two different systems are used to compare the three methods of PLA recycling; the restitution product system and the credit product system.
Continue reading “PLA Recycling: Mechanical vs. Chemical vs. Compost”