Page 56 - Plastics News May 2019

TECHNOLOGY

3D Printer Turns Recycled Plastic into Sporting Goods

esearchers in Michigan have merged environmental- in commercial-worthy versions using existing technology.
Rfriendly production and 3D printing to create a high- 7R DFKLHYH WKHLU JRDOV 3HDUFH DQG KLV WHDP RXWÀWWHG
performance 3D printer that can develop sporting goods Gigabot X using an extruder system closely related to
from recycled plastic. The Gigabot X printer—developed in DQ LQGXVWULDO WKHUPRSODVWLF H[WUXGHU KH VDLG 7R ÀW WKH
collaboration between large-format 3D-printing technology printer, they scaled it down and mounted it as an extruder
company re:3D and Michigan Technological University head on the Gigabot. “The extrusion screw was designed
(Michigan Tech)—combines existing printing technology with an increasing diameter down the length of the screw
with a new twist, explained Joshua Pearce, professor with a ratio of 2.5:1 from the start to the end,” Pearce
of materials science and engineering and a professor in explained. “The hopper was 3D-printed to allow for ease
the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering RI PRGLÀFDWLRQ DQG RSWLPL]DWLRQ RI WKH GHVLJQ GXULQJ
at Michigan Technoligical univeristy manufacturing the testing. The system has two heating zones, one to melt the
Gigabot—a low-cost high-quality large-format 3D printer plastic shards/regrind/pellets, and the second one to have
a controlled extrusion. The Gigabot X 3D-printing process-
-called fused particle fabrication (FPF), or fused granular
IDEULFDWLRQ )*) ³VNLSV WKH VWHS RI PDNLQJ ÀODPHQW EHIRUH
3D printing and saves one melt cycle, basically printing
directly from shredded waste.The idea to use recycled
plastic in the printer served two purposes, Pearce said.
:LWK DOO RI WKH GDPDJH SODVWLF SROOXWLRQ LV FDXVLQJ WR WKH
global environment, it is more environmentally friendly
to use recycled materials, he said.

There is a practical consideration, too, Pearce said. “It
also radically reduces the costs,” he said. 3D-printing
ÀODPHQW FRVWV D NLORJUDP ZKLOH SHOOHWV FRVW
$5 a kilogram and shredded waste plastic that people can
WKDW XVHV IXVHG ÀODPHQW µ KH H[SODLQHG ´8QIRUWXQDWHO\ PDNH WKHPVHOYHV LV QHDUO\ IUHH 3HDUFH VDLG :KLOH WKH
printer itself is not cheap at a cost of about $18,500, the
ÀODPHQW LV PDUNHG XS DERXW WLPHV RYHU WKH FRVW RI
plastic feedstock. This makes 3-D printing large objects potential returns from being able to 3D-print products
relatively expensive—and Gigabot users are used to using such as a skateboard deck, double-bladed kayak paddles,
D ORW RI SODVWLF µ *LJDERW ;³D PRGLÀHG YHUVLRQ RI WKH and snowshoes—all of which researchers demonstrated--
machine invented by Pearce and his team-- allows for the will have its rewards for manufacturers, Pearce said.“The
use of much less expensive pellets of plastic, as well as to Gigabot X enables users to make environmentally friendly
XVH UHF\FOHG PDWHULDOV WR SURGXFH QHZ REMHFWV ´:H WRRN products for a tiny fraction of equivalent commercial
it one step further and adapted the machine and found goods,” he said. Pearce and his team plan are moving
optimal settings for a wide range of waste polymers by ahead with their research by using the Gigabot X to
directly recycling them,” Pearce said. manufacture composites and a wider array of polymers to
further expand the materials options for low-cost, large
The team also released free and open-source designs of the
printer and products fabricated using it to help promote area 3D printing, he said.
widespread use of the technology. Gigabot X is not meant 3D printers are becoming more and more versatile. Some
IRU KRPH XVH LW·V DQ LQGXVWULDO VL]HG PDFKLQH DLPHG DW work with metal and other materials other than the
developing high-performance sporting-goods products, standard ABS and PLA plastics, and machines are even being
which have been challenging—if not impossible—to make EXLOW WKDW DUH DEOH WR V\QWKHVL]H DUWLÀFLDO KXPDQ WLVVXH

56
Plastics News May 2019 58