In the event you flip your plastic bottle of Coca-Cola or Pepsi or Dasani over and take a look at the underside, chances are high you’ll see a triangle with the quantity ‘1’ inside it. This quantity corresponds with the recyclability code of PET or PolyEthylene Terephthalate, the plastic generally utilized in bottles, jars, clear containers, and different food-holding units. PET is thought for its clear nature and food-safe properties, however it’s additionally the best to recycle plastic that’s generally out there… a function the Polyformer makes use of to its benefit.
The Polyformer is a intelligent equipment that turns your waste plastic bottle into a transparent 3D printing filament. It’s an inexpensive, compact, and open-source machine that cuts the bottle into a skinny ribbon that will get melted and extruded right into a filament. The filament is then wound round a spool, which may then be utilized by different 3D printers to print objects. The very best half? A majority of the Polyformer’s design is made fully from 3D printed components too, appearing like the proper proof of idea!
Designer: Reiten Cheng
Click on Right here to view directions on construct your individual Polyformer
Designed by Reiten Cheng, a scholar on the ArtCenter School of Design in California, the Polyformer is a straightforward product that anybody can construct on their very own with just a few store-bought components and a 3D printer. “The modular structure permits customers to simply swap out components and modify the machine to their liking,” Cheng says. “The distinctive vertical L form permits the customers to work together simply with the machine and likewise minimizes the quantity of area that the machine takes.”
The Polyformer begins by stripping normal PET bottles right into a uniform ribbon. As soon as the bottle’s been stripped away, the ribbon will get fed right into a repurposed hot-end that makes use of a brass nozzle to extrude the melted plastic right into a 1.75mm filament. The filament is then directed to the motorized spool, which rotates and collects it for use later.
All the product makes use of off-the-shelf components and 3D-printed elements. In reality, Cheng even open-sourced the Polyformer as a way to construct your individual. The information can be found on the Polyformer GitHub web page together with an in depth information on assemble the system. Cheng’s web site additionally mentions the place you should buy off-the-shelf elements just like the aluminum warmth block and the brass nozzle for the extrusion.
The Polyformer makes a singular pitch to assist cut back plastic waste by virtually giving plastic bottles a brand new life. This cradle-to-cradle strategy is just about strengthened by the Polyformer itself, which Reiten printed out utilizing 3D filament from recycled bottles, giving the complete equipment a stupendous translucent end.
The Polyformer additionally went on to win a number of design awards just like the James Dyson Award, the Core77 Award, and even secured third place for the Hackaday Prize.
Click on Right here to view directions on construct your individual Polyformer