As we enter 2025, while living technologies are advancing, plastic waste continues to flow into landfills and waterways, posing a serious ecological challenge.
Every year, thousands of marine organisms lose their lives to plastic entanglement, and millions of people are at risk of ingesting plastic.
3D printing, which uses large quantities of plastic, is further exacerbating the plastic crisis. 3D printing waste that is not properly disposed of can lead to the accumulation of microplastics in the ocean, potentially threatening ecosystems and human health.
This is a particularly significant concern considering that the global 3D printing materials market has only begun to grow in recent years.
Therefore, responsible 3D printing enthusiasts and manufacturing/service providers are committing to more environmentally conscious "Green 3D Printing." This involves reducing, reusing, and recycling excess plastic generated during the printing process.Such materials are said to take anywhere from 10 to over 1,000 years to decompose.
To properly manage this waste, one must understand its properties and processing methods.
This article introduces several ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle 3D printing waste.
Reduce 3D Printer Waste as Much as Possible
The first step toward solving the plastic crisis is to minimize its usage as much as possible.
There are several ways to achieve this before you start printing.
Reduce Support Material
The first effective method is to eliminate the need for support material as much as possible when designing a model.
Designs with overhangs require support material because the printer needs a foundation underneath to add new layers.
To address this issue, you can design models that incorporate more arches instead of using 90-degree angles when printing.
Another method is to consider whether you can avoid or reduce support material by changing the orientation.
If there is less support material, there is less plastic waste.
This cannot be applied to all prints, and it can be difficult, especially when used for functional end-use parts.
However, being conscious of the environmental impact of the design you are printing or manufacturing during the design phase is a good habit.
Reduce Rafts and Infill
Slicer settings are also a critical point for reducing filament consumption.
If suitable for the model, using a brim instead of a raft is a more environmentally conscious method.
Unlike a raft, which forms multiple layers beneath the print, a brim only forms a single layer around the model, reducing material consumption.
A brim provides a certain level of bed adhesion and is particularly suitable for problematic models that have poor contact with the print platform.
Depending on the machine, you can increase the contact area by increasing the line count or the width of the brim while maintaining a more sustainable printing method.
In some cases, whether or not you can use a brim instead of a raft depends on a properly designed model and a correctly calibrated printer. Of course, bed adhesives such as glue can also be helpful.
Naturally, reducing the infill can also decrease filament consumption, which is also a good method in terms of cost reduction.
While you usually cannot eliminate it entirely, consider how much you can reduce it. If you are designing the model from scratch, you can also consider printing it in multiple parts, using a high infill percentage only where strength is needed.
Properly Split Parts
The final point to consider before printing is how many parts you place on the platform in a single print.
The aforementioned method of splitting into multiple parts is a good approach. By splitting printed parts into smaller components, you can reduce the material wasted in the event of a print failure.
Using this method allows you to avoid the painful situation of a failure after hours of printing, and you can also save significant time.
If a design is particularly large and integrated, it can be split by adding protrusions and corresponding holes to allow the parts to be connected together.
By dividing components into multiple prints, you can save filament, time, and money.
Reuse 3D Printing Waste by Using Recycled Filament
Printing with recycled filament is also a good way to reduce plastic consumption.
Today, there are many recycled filaments available for consumers to choose from, and they are priced affordably.
As manufacturers work to ensure the quality of raw materials, the quality of recycled filament can be equal to or even better than that of standard filament.
Recycled filaments are sold for a variety of common and new materials, not just PLA or ABS.
Manufacturing Recycled Filament
Considering the benefits of recycled filament, collecting and recycling print waste is a highly beneficial endeavor.
This process involves several steps, and if done on a large scale, it can become a very economical business model.
As you might imagine, recycling 3D printing waste requires specialized equipment.
When recycling waste filament, the process is broadly divided into two stages: "shredding" and "extrusion."
In the first stage, you prepare the plastic for melting, and in the next stage, you melt and reshape the shredded plastic.
To ensure uniform thickness and viscosity of the melted filament, the input plastic must have the same material properties and the particle size must be generally uniform.
In the extrusion process, the plastic passes through a heater to melt, and is then pushed out through a nozzle. The nozzle determines the filament diameter; standard filament diameters are 1.75mm and 2.85mm.
After the melted plastic solidifies, it must be wound. The process of winding the filament onto a spool is critical and affects the uniformity of the filament diameter.
To prevent the filament from stretching while it is still flexible, the winder must pull it at a constant speed.
Establishing an excellent equipment environment is the necessary preparation for starting a 3D printing recycling and regeneration process, and a consistent product ecosystem is particularly important.
Purchasing equipment is a significant investment, so it is desirable to reduce trial and error in many areas, such as the setup and fine-tuning processes.
Therefore, it is important to choose shredder and extruder brands that belong to the same ecosystem and are reliable.
By doing this, you can ensure that not only are the components of the equipment based on the same ecosystem and standards, but they are also all professionally tested and ready to use.
Furthermore, these products come with extensive guides and user communities provided by the manufacturer, from which you can gain knowledge that will help with your implementation.
As mentioned earlier, manufacturing recycled filament requires dedicated equipment. You will need a shredder, an extruder, and preferably a winder as well.
Using the appropriate related products will allow you to smoothly start recycling old 3D printing waste and transform it into useful resources.
Plastic Shredder
Shredding is a very important step in this entire process.
The most important thing is to keep the size of the generated shreds uniform.
Purchasing a shredder can be expensive, but it is a worthwhile investment to lead to better results in the regeneration of 3D printing waste.
At the same time, it can be said to be a good investment for our shared future.
3Devo Plastic Shredder GP20 can recycle plastic of almost any shape and size into granular sizes usable as 3D printing material.
This dual design combines a smart plastic shredder with an integrated granulator, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.
The functionality of the shredder allows it to be incorporated freely and flexibly into various projects across different industries.
Filament Maker
Next, you need a high-quality filament maker to ensure a uniform diameter and shape.
As this is the final stage of filament regeneration, you must ensure that the various functions of the equipment are sufficiently excellent to achieve high production quality.
Filament Maker TWO exhibits stable performance in this regard and is a reliable product.
It is designed to provide uniform filament quality, and while being an excellent filament extruder, it also features winding capabilities.
Its features include a high-torque motor, optimized heating, an improved compression ratio, and an optimized L/D ratio.
You can mix different materials to create new filament, achieve circular usage, and reduce costs while utilizing filament without waste. It brings new possibilities to filament production.
Filament Maker TWO measures the filament from three directions, allowing sensors to detect oval shapes and ensure the filament maintains a uniform circular shape.
This results in higher quality and more reliable print results.
The onboard thermal sensor accurately measures the temperature before the filament reaches the pull rollers. This allows for precise adjustments, preventing filament crushing and ensuring uniform filament quality.
For related functions and features, please see "Boosting Custom 3D Printing Filament Production with Filament Maker Two."
Use Plastic Waste Recycling Services
Finally, if you cannot invest more time or money at this moment, you can support eco-friendly initiatives in 3D printing by using recycling services.
For example, you can hand over waste plastic to individuals or businesses capable of recycling and regenerating it, and have them utilize these scraps as part of green recycling.
So, if you find it difficult to manufacture recycled filament yourself, try sorting and storing your print waste and sending it out for recycling!
► 3Devo Filament Maker ONE Filament Maker Series
► 3Devo Filament Maker TWO Filament Maker Series
► 3Devo Plastic Shredder GP20 Plastic Shredder
Would you like to know more about 3Devo products? Please contact us below!
- Contact Us -
3DMart provides more than just 3D printing. We offer three major contract services: "3D Printing Service," "3D Scanning Service," and "Spatial 3D Scanning Service"!!
Follow us on social media for the latest updates:
Facebook | Instagram