The old saying, “garbage in, garbage out” may need to be re-evaluated.*Students at Victoria University of Wellington*are developing a machine that recycles old milk jugs,*extruding an HDPE plastic filament that can then be fed into a MakerBot for 3D printing.
The process involves grinding the plastic into small pieces, then pressing these through a heater and extruder plate to produce a continuous bead of the proper*diameter for the MakerBot.*Nichrome wire — the stuff of hair dryers and toasters — forms the heating element,*and this must be regulated within a specific temperature range for different plastics.*The initial grinder design is hand-cranked, but they are working toward a fully automated system.*It appears that the machine could also recycle old MakerBot output, provided the grinder has sufficient torque.
So one man’s trash really*is another man’s treasure. We envision a future of crazy-haired makers rooting through their neighbors’ garbage, feeding their Recyclebots’ hoppers “Mr. Fusion” style.
