Hochschule Trier presents a groundbreaking large-scale 3D printer that efficiently recycles plastic waste and reuses high-quality industrial plastics.
This pellet-based printer, developed at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, enables the production of large objects and enhances efficiency by eliminating filament production.
This innovative approach paves the way for resource-efficient plastic recycling and contributes to promoting sustainable solutions in the field of additive manufacturing.
Innovative Large-Scale 3D Printer at Hochschule Trier Sets the Standard for Resource-Efficient Plastic Recycling.
Additive manufacturing, better known as 3D printing, has once again proven its nearly limitless potential. But what happens to the plastic waste generated during these printing processes?
This question has been a focus of research at the Laboratory for Additive Manufacturing at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld of Hochschule Trier for several years. Here, waste from approximately 40 3D printers is collected and recycled for the printing process, achieving a 100% recycling rate.
However, the research team posed a crucial question: How can the printing process be made faster and more resource-efficient? With this motivation, engineers at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld have developed a pellet-based large-scale 3D printer that utilizes plastic scraps and new granules directly for the printing process. This innovative printer enables the production of objects in an impressive size of up to 800 x 800 x 1000mm.
The outstanding quality of the preliminary work led to the Carl Zeiss Foundation granting the project a one-year, €75,000 grant under its CZS Prototypes program. During this period, the printer was further developed and optimized to enhance its efficiency. Today, this unique printer can process more than 1 kg of plastic per hour.
With this optimized printer, the goal is to recycle high-value industrial plastics and reintegrate plastic waste into the cycle of additive manufacturing. This makes 3D printing particularly resource-efficient by eliminating the need for filament production. Professor Wahl, the head of the research group, emphasizes the significance of this step towards more sustainable plastic recycling.
This breakthrough in 3D printing technology demonstrates how research and innovation can make a significant contribution to solving global environmental issues. The new large-scale 3D printer not only revolutionizes additive manufacturing but also takes a significant step towards a sustainable circular economy.
