Joshua R. Taylor
The Recreator 3D - PET#1 Pultrusion Unit
DIY 3D Printer Filament From Plastic Bottles
The Idea is simple!
Strip down PET#1 Recyclable plastic bottles.
Convert into new usable 3D filament.
Load up your favorite 3D printer and recreate!
Reduce, Reuse, Recreate…with The Recreator 3D!
The Recreator 3D's purpose is to recreate PET #1 recyclable plastic bottles into usable 3D filament. The smallest, most compact and portable pultrusion unit seen within the community. It's ability to strip, reform, color, and spool all in one continuous pull cycle; coming in under $220. This community kit will inspire most households and community team leaders.
The Recreator 3D was originally created with the XViCO X3S 3D Printers. It's base structure; a few accessories, and a handful of 3D Printed parts are all that was used. Since then it has had 5 revisions and now uses an Ender 3 among a Universal Kit.
The Recreator 3D is 100% free as a community build. With the Pet-Pull group from Russia as visual inspiration for first using the pultrusion method. I wanted to further adapt PET#1 recycling to be more accessible to every person in an even easier way. With this goal; we'll reshape our future's recycling methods, one bottle at a time!
Already 3D printers are fastly becoming items that are thrown away as freely as plastic bottles. Not only does this unit help stop plastic waste, it also helps us look at our aging technology as new viable forms of functions. Thus giving a new life and purpose. The Recreator 3D MK5Kit was made to be a universal solution for the use of most standard aluminum extrusions i3 style fdm printers.
With the over saturation of the market, the Ender 3 is one of the most used printers within the community. With it being the most affordable option as a 3D printer; most new users become discouraged, and easily send their slightly used printer back to Amazon. These units are easier to be sold at a discount, then they are to be repaired and resold for very little profit. The printer becomes an inexpensive throw away or easily resold for a very low price if not given as a gift.
The Recreator 3D - Mk5Kit: Ender 3 is one of the cheapest options available for PET#1 pultrusion for 3D printing filament. It’s method of pultrusion is not a 100% solution to ending plastic waste, but is the easiest way to reclaim waste as usable filament. For under $220 these units can be created by average people and turn homes into small recycling centers as well manufacturers among 3D printing.
The Recreator 3D's process unfortunately still leaves the waste of tops and bottoms of the plastic bottle. To avoid continued unwanted waste, research has started on new and cheaper solutions to further refine this material into shreds and continue to use it in adapting technologies like extruder heads for 3D Printers as well injection molding.
Most recycling systems are broken primarily because there is no money in it. Gas emissions are created the second that product is made. The plastic is bought by the consumer for the liquid. Without the plastic there is no product. Now that plastic is treated as trash. Perhaps it’s recycled and we have an idea about where it goes. Ultimately, most of that is a figment. China stopped taking in plastic waste imports; simply because they couldn't handle the waste, nor was it profitable. They also became more polluted.
My idea is that the people must be more included and able. They must have affordable options to recreate their waste into new items. If the plastic doesn't leave the consumer’s house, the gas emission journey stops at their door. Otherwise there is so much more impact the plastic can have on its continued journey of life; being set on fire or put into the ocean, rather than actually recycled and reused.
To fix a broken system, we must change the paradigm from the inside out.
Continued resources below…
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Swaleh Owais
Handika