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RECYCLING OF USED FILAMENT FROM 3D PRINTING

Jiří Fries

Abstract

This article discusses the possibilities of recycling waste material generated using 3D FDM or FFF printing technology and its use in the re-production of printed material. Additive technology is an increasingly popular method for the rapid design of components and machinery parts. It enables creating prototype components and assemblies relatively quickly. This makes it possible to search for the right design of a given component and to choose from several options (e.g. finding the correct shape in ergonomics). However, after the optimisation of the product required or the shape of a specific component is found the other variants become wasted material. The same is true for the previous version of a designed product. Waste from 3D printing also includes material from the supports or small loops created by filling its print nozzle. Companies supplying print material have not dealt with the recycling of waste material yet, while this material still has a significant potential. When re-using separated types of materials we can obtain cheaper material of a lower quality. Such material will not have the same guaranteed mechanical properties as the original one. Nevertheless, it can be used again for the creation of components where such a quality is not required. These can be used for e.g. designing or providing the testing of the shape, or just for the creation of supports. The separation of different types of materials with the same physical-mechanical properties is important here, such as the temperature and eventually the colour, since for each coloured material other additives have been used. The use of waste material from 3D printing may have a future impact on the environment and economy, as well as on the overall use of the material and the associated energy consumption. The conversion of the used material is certainly less expensive than the creation of a new "virgin" material. Increasing the use of 3D printers may sooner or later have a great influence on the environment.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/4.2/s18.020

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