Recyclebot: Difference between revisions

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Research: Open source 3-D printing of OSAT · RecycleBot · LCA of home recycling · Green Distributed Recycling · Ethical Filament · LCA of distributed manufacturing · RepRap LCA Energy and CO2 · Solar-powered RepRaps · solar powered recyclebot · Feasibility hub · Mechanical testing · RepRap printing protocol: MOST · Lessons learned · MOST RepRap Build · MOST Prusa Build · MOST HS RepRap build · RepRap Print Server

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A RecycleBot is a waste plastic extruder that creates 3-D printer filament from waste plastic and natural polymers.

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Distributed Recycling of Waste Polymer into RepRap Feedstock

Source: Christian Baechler, Matthew DeVuono, and Joshua M. Pearce, “Distributed Recycling of Waste Polymer into RepRap Feedstock” Rapid Prototyping Journal, 19(2), pp. 118-125 (2013). open access

Abstract

Purpose - A low-cost, open source, self-replicating rapid prototyper (RepRap) has been developed, which greatly expands the potential user base of rapid prototypers. The operating cost of the RepRap can be further reduced using waste polymers as feedstock. Centralized recycling of polymers is often uneconomic and energy intensive due to transportation embodied energy. This paper provides a proof of concept for high-value recycling of waste polymers at distributed creation sites.

Design/methodology/approach - Previous designs of waste plastic extruders (also known as RecycleBots) were evaluated using a weighted evaluation matrix. An updated design was completed and the description and analysis of the design is presented including component summary, testing procedures, a basic life cycle analysis and extrusion results. The filament was tested for consistency of density and diameter while quantifying electricity consumption.

Findings - Filament was successfully extruded at an average rate of 90 mm/min and used to print parts. The filament averaged 2.805±0.003mm diameter with 87% of samples between 2.540± 0.003mm and 3.081± 0.003mm. The average mass was 0.564 ± 0.001 g/100mm length. Energy use was 0.06 kWh/m.

Practical implications - The success of the Recyclebot further reduces RepRap operating costs, which enables distributed in-home, value added, plastic recycling. This has implications for municipal waste management programs as in-home recycling could reduce cost and greenhouse gas emissions associated with waste collection and transportation as well as the environmental impact of manufacturing custom plastic parts.

Originality/value - This paper reports on the first technical evaluation of a feedstock filament for the RepRap from waste plastic material made in a distributed recycling device.

Recyclebot evolution

Full technical information, BOMs and build instructions found at the links below.

Recyclebot version 2.0 and 2.1

Recyclebot version 2.2

Recyclebot version 2.3

• 3-D printable Chain guard for the RecycleBot

Recyclebot version 3.0

• Nick's Filament Extruder

Recyclebot v4.0ac

• Under final development now

Recyclebot v4.0dc

• Under final development now

Recyclebot v4.1

Other types of RecycleBots

• The Plastic Bank has a nice semi-industrial recyclebot - Plastic Bank Extruder v1.0
• There are also several OSH tools being developed by Precious Plastic to reuse plastic waste
• You can buy a commercial open-source recyclebot called the "filastruder" kit for $290 and a Filawinder for $160.
• There are many other commercial filament extruders now including the FilaFab, Noztek, Filabot, EWE, Extrusionbot, Filamaker (also has shredder) and the Strooder, Felfil (OS), which all could potentially be used for recycling.
• ExtrusionBot Cruncher - also grinder to go with extruder (vid shows PET but no crystallization)
• See collection: http://www.thingiverse.com/jpearce/collections/recyclebot-and-friends
• Also a plastic shredder from Filamaker used in project Seafood to turn waste ocean HDPE into useful items

1.6 GPM or less low-flow shower heads

1.8 Ford indirect injection with Bosch rotary pump

11 core principles for Sharing Cities

12 Lead EKG Interpretation

12 Lead EKG Interpretation Quiz

120V Photovoltaic Microinverter Literature Review

12NA

1973 energy crisis

2 FT Prosthetics

2-stroke Diesel engine

2009 IEEE Toronto International Conference Science and Technology for Humanity

2009 Victorian bushfires

2010 Xinfa aluminum plant protest

215 Accordion photovoltaic portable power

215 Appropedia

215 Cassiopeia solar apocalypse computer

215 DIY solar power box fan air filter

215 Emergency photovoltaic box

215 Mahana solar window fan

215 Solar for low power medical equipment

More results

Quick payback time calculation

Assumptions:

• commercial filament currently sells for about $35/kg
• electricity cost from [1] is $0.10/kg
• plastic if recycled cost $0/kg
• if you buy pellets sells from $1-$10/kg

Payback time in kg produced = recyclebot cost/(commercial filament cost avoided - (elec+plastic))

Worst case = (filastruder+filawinder)/(commercial filament cost avoided - high end pellets -elec recyclebot)=$450/($35-$10.10)=18kg

Best case = filastruder plus floor winding/(commercial filament cost avoided - recycled plastic) = $290/($35-0.1) = 8.3kg

Rich case = filastruder+filawinder/(commercial filament cost avoided - recycled plastic) = $450/($35-0.1) = 12.8kg

Then you stick the filament in your RepRap and print $1000s of dollars of goods for pennies: see Life-cycle economic analysis of distributed manufacturing with open-source 3-D printers

Recyclable Polymers

Image	Made of	Used in	Melting temperature C
	PETE Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)	Soda & water containers, some waterproof packaging.	260°C
	HDPE High-Density Polyethylene.	Milk, detergent & oil bottles, Toys and plastic bags.	130°C
	V Vinyl/Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).	Food wrap, vegetable oil bottles, blister packages.	160°C
	LDPE Low-Density Polyethylene.	plastic bags. Shrink wrap, garment bags.	120°C
	PP Polypropylene.	Refrigerated containers, some bags, most bottle tops, some carpets, some food wrap.	130°C
	PS Polystyrene.	Throwaway utensils, meat packing, protective packing.	240°C
	Others.	Layered or mixed plastic.

These symbols are meant to indicate the type of plastic, not its recyclability.

• Types 1 and 2 are commonly recycled.
• Type 4 is less commonly recycled.
• The other types are generally not recycled, except perhaps in small test programs.
• Common plastics polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) do not have recycling numbers.
• Plastics 3, 6, and 7 probably contain BPA and should not be used to store anything that will be consumed by humans.
• The majority of plastic packaging was made with one of six resins there are codes for those six as well as a seventh, 7-OTHER, to be used when the product in question is made with a plastic other than the common six, or is made of more than one plastic used in combination [2]. Currently, 7 plastics can sometimes be recycled into bottles or plastic lumber. However, polycarbonate plastic, one variety coded number 7, is made with the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA. The National Toxicology Program reports that BPA may have adverse effects on the development of the brain and behavior of fetuses, infants and children, and advises consumers to limit BPA exposure by avoiding number 7 plastic containers.[3]. There is a potential academic project here to call for greater granularity in the plastic codes - if anyone wants to work on this please contact me. -- Joshua 17:18, 31 July 2013 (PDT)

See Also

• Evaluation of Potential Fair Trade Standards for an Ethical 3-D Printing Filament
• Recyclebot on RepRap wiki
• Life cycle analysis of distributed recycling of post-consumer high density polyethylene for 3-D printing filament
• Mechanical Properties of Components Fabricated with Open-Source 3-D Printers Under Realistic Environmental Conditions
• Plastic bank
• Polymer recycling codes for distributed manufacturing with 3-D printers
• Mechanical testing of polymer components made with the RepRap 3-D printer
• Development and feasibility of applications for the RepRap 3-D printer
• Life cycle analysis of distributed polymer recycling
• Solar powered distributed customized manufacturing
• Distributed recycling of post-consumer plastic waste in rural areas
• Ethical Filament Foundation
• LDPE recycling on a bike with a RepRap from Taipei-based company Fabraft
• UBC recycling of old prints with blender and liquid nitrogen http://ubc-rapid.com/blog/?p=183
• Filament By Filacycle Is 100% Recycled! - 3D Printing Industry 12-16-2014
• Dr. Recare- nice concept to have automated plastic beach cleaner/3D printer make recyclebins
• Haruna Hamod. 2015.Suitability of recycled HDPE for 3D printing filament. Arcada University of Applied Science. Thesis covering recycling HDPE to filament
• Tisserat, Brent, Zengshe Liu, Victoria Finkenstadt, Branden Lewandowski, Steven Ott, and Louis Reifschneider. "3D printing biocomposites." 3D printing biocomposites
• Closing the Sustainability Cycle with InnoCirlce Recycled 3D Printing Filaments - 3D Printing and Industry
• Terracycle

Peer Reviewed articles covering recyclebot technology

• Christian Baechler, Matthew DeVuono, and Joshua M. Pearce, “Distributed Recycling of Waste Polymer into RepRap Feedstock” Rapid Prototyping Journal 19(2), pp. 118-125 (2013). open access
• M.A. Kreiger, M.L. Mulder, A.G. Glover, J. M. Pearce, Life Cycle Analysis of Distributed Recycling of Post-consumer High Density Polyethylene for 3-D Printing Filament, Journal of Cleaner Production, 70, pp. 90–96 (2014). open access
• Megan Kreiger and Joshua M. Pearce (2013). Environmental Life Cycle Analysis of Distributed 3-D Printing and Conventional Manufacturing of Polymer Products, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Engineering, 1 (12), (2013) pp. 1511–1519DOI: 10.1021/sc400093k Open access*
• Megan Kreiger and Joshua M. Pearce (2013). Environmental Impacts of Distributed Manufacturing from 3-D Printing of Polymer Components and Products. MRS Online Proceedings Library, 1492, mrsf12-1492-g01-02  open access
• M. Kreiger, G. C. Anzalone, M. L. Mulder, A. Glover and J. M Pearce (2013). Distributed Recycling of Post-Consumer Plastic Waste in Rural Areas. MRS Online Proceedings Library, 1492, mrsf12-1492-g04-06  open access
• Emily J. Hunt, Chenlong Zhang, Nick Anzalone, Joshua M. Pearce, Polymer recycling codes for distributed manufacturing with 3-D printers, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 97, pp. 24-30 (2015). DOI:10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.02.004 open access
• Feeley, S. R., Wijnen, B., & Pearce, J. M. (2014). Evaluation of Potential Fair Trade Standards for an Ethical 3-D Printing Filament. Journal of Sustainable Development, 7(5), 1-12. DOI: 10.5539/jsd.v7n5p1 open access
• Hunt, R., 3D Printing Applications for Creating Products Made from Reclaimed Fishing Nets-Rhiannon Hunt, Martin Charter. 2016.[4]
• Okshtein, Y., 2009. RecycleBot 2.0: An Integrated Recycling Sorting and Separating System (Doctoral dissertation, The Cooper Union).
• Chong, S., Pan, G.T., Khalid, M., Yang, T.C.K., Hung, S.T. and Huang, C.M., Physical Characterization and Pre-assessment of Recycled High-Density Polyethylene as 3D Printing Material. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, pp.1-10.
• Knips, C., Bertling, J., Blömer, J. and Janssen, W., 2014. FabLabs, 3D-printing and degrowth–Democratisation and deceleration of production or a new consumptive boom producing more waste?.https://co-munity.net/system/files/Knip.pdf
• Despeisse, M., Baumers, M., Brown, P., Charnley, F., Ford, S.J., Garmulewicz, A., Knowles, S., Minshall, T.H.W., Mortara, L., Reed-Tsochas, F.P. and Rowley, J., Unlocking value for a circular economy through 3D printing: a research agenda.https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Melanie_Despeisse/publication/303701616_Unlocking_value_for_a_circular_economy_through_3D_printing_a_research_agenda/links/574ea1f808aedd1c180d7ef5.pdf
• Ramli, F.R., Jailani, M.I., Unjar, H., Alkahari, M.R. and Abdullah, M.A., 2015. Integrated recycle system concept for low cost 3D-printer sustainability. Proc. Mech. Eng. Res. Day, 1, pp.77-78.
• Pelley, Janet. "Fair-trade plastic for 3D printers." Frontiers in Ecology(2014): 484-484.
• Birtchnell, T. and Urry, J., 2013. Fabricating futures and the movement of objects. Mobilities, 8(3), pp.388-405.
• Hoyle, W., 3D Printing in the Developing World: Learning from Techfortrade’s 3D4D Challenge. LOW-COST 3D PRINTING, p.177.
• Pearce, J., 2014. Technology whose time has come. Physics World, 27(01), p.33.
• Fastermann, P., 2014. Nachhaltigkeit–3D-Druck als umweltfreundliche Technologie?. In 3D-Drucken (pp. 103-113). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
• Chonga, S., Chiub, H.L., Liaob, Y.C., Hungc, S.T. and Pand, G.T., 2015. Cradle to Cradle® Design for 3D Printing. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, 45.
• Bodzay, B. and Bánhegyi, G., 2016. Polymer waste: controlled breakdown or recycling?. International Journal of Design Sciences & Technology, 22(2).
• Sung, K., 2015. A review on upcycling: current body of literature, knowledge gaps and a way forward. Part I, ICEES, 2015, p.17th.

Articles about the RecycleBot

• Turning Trash into Cash . . . and Saving Energy -- Michigan Tech News, WDIO, Ideas, Inventions and Innovations, The Cutting Edge, Science Codex, Albany Tribune, Science News Online, Innovation Toronto, Examiner, Product Design and Development, Newswise, Energy Daily, Materials Gate
• 3D Printed gun moving from sinister joke to sinister business model By Bruce Sterling -- Wired - Beyond the Beyond
• 3-D Printing Using Old Milk Jugs - Science Daily
• New process transforms old milk jugs into everything from lab equipment to cell phone cases - Phys.org
• Feed Your 3D-Printer With Used Milk Jugs -- Science World Report

• RecycleBot turns old milk jugs into 3D printer feedstock -- 3Ders
• Researchers Develop RecycleBot to Recycle Plastic Using 3D Printers -- Azom
• 3D Printer Recycles Milk Jugs -- Laboratory Equipment
• RecycleBot: An open source recycling plant - Personolize
• How Recycled Milk Jugs Can Make 3D Printing Cheaper and Greener - Green Optimistic
• Your 3D Printer Could Eat Empty Milk Jugs Instead of Expensive Plastic -- Gizmodo,I4U
• RecycleBot zet oud plastic om in grondstof voor 3d-prints - Tweakers (Dutch), DMorgan
• La basura puede servir para imprimir en 3D - El Correo (Spanish)

• Designing the Future -- Tech4Trade
• Trash Technology: 3D Printing With Recycled Material - Red Orbit
• The importance of the Lyman Extruder, Filamaker, Recyclebot and Filabot to 3D printing - Voxel Fab
• How milk jugs can make 3D printing cheaper - Smart Planet
• Research: 3D Printed Filament from Recycled Milk Jugs - 3D Printing Industry
• Rapid Ready Roundup: OsteoFab, Dreambox, RecycleBot and Trains - Rapid Ready Tech
• Turn your milk jugs into… whatever. At home. With 3D printing. - Guild of Scientifc Troubadours
• How to Turn Trash into Cash- Organic Connections
• Recycled fodder for the 3D printer - Stochastic Scientist
• 3-D Printing Using Old containers - DA Woolgar Blog
• Print in 3D at low cost using conventional plastic recycling at home (Spanish) -- Noticias de la Ciencia
• Health, Wealth & Wisdom on 1470 AM WMGG April 12, 2013 (listen)
• Turning Trash into Cash and Saving Energy - MTU Undergraduate Engineering Education 2013
• Less Expensive and Greener 3-D Printing- IEEE Institute
• RECYCLEBOT: A ketchup bottle recyclable materials for 3D printers - TU (Norway)
• How recycled plastic for 3D printing will drive sustainability and improve social consciousness - Tech Republic
• Plastic Bottles: The New Artistic Medium - Art and Science Journal
• DIY 3D Filament – Recyclebot to Produce 3D Printer Filament from Waste Polymers #3DThursday #3DPrinting - Adafruit Industries Blog
• Domestic recycling to nourish 3D printers - Crazy Engineers
• 3D-printen met afval als grondstof - Pieterbas.nl
• Can We 3D Print our Way to Sustainability? - Earth Island Journal
• Plastic: New Technology Promises Greener 3-D Printing NBC News New York
• Green.Wiwo.de - (German)
• Three C Goes 3-D: Enterprise Team's Recycling Plan Earns Ford College Community Challenge Award, Tech Century, 3Ders, 3D Printing Industry
• Tech innovation fills 3-D printers - Mining Gazette
• Students work to make recycled 3-D printer filament - Washington Times, The Olympian, Charlotte Observer, Arizona Daily Star, Sacramento Bee, Miami Herald, Kansas City Star, Holland Sentinel, WRAL
• The Revolution Will Be Customized (and Recycled and Solar-Powered) - MIT-Sloan Management Review
• Superior Filament at Michigan Tech -3DPrint.com TV6 UP Michigan Source
• Student Entrepreneurs Put Discarded Water Bottles to New Use - MTU News