A crew of engineering college students on the College of Colorado (CU) Boulder has developed a brand new approach to recycle 3D printing waste, remodeling discarded plastic into reusable sheets for hands-on tasks throughout campus. Now a part of the Faculty of Engineering and Utilized Science’s Built-in Educating and Studying Program (ITLP), the trouble displays a rising push to pair sustainability with innovation in engineering training.
“Incorporating recycled plastic into hands-on engineering training turns what would have been waste right into a shared useful resource for college students. By making these supplies freely out there, we’re lowering our environmental influence whereas giving college students new alternatives to innovate and create,” stated Kai Amey, director of engineering training and operations for ITLP.
Turning Waste into Studying Supplies
The thought started in an undergraduate classroom, the place built-in design engineering main Ian McLeod and his crew explored learn how to repurpose failed prints and extra assist constructions constituted of PLA filament. With steering from ITLP engineer Kathryn Penzkover, the idea advanced right into a functioning recycling course of and was later refined by mechanical engineering scholar Eli Publish, an ITLP summer season intern.
Utilizing a easy workflow, the crew collects failed or extra PLA prints, grinds them into small fragments, and presses them into sturdy flat sheets with a T-shirt press. The ensuing materials could be laser-cut or utilized in different fabrication tasks, giving college students entry to a free, sustainable various to conventional plastics.
The venture’s influence has already been acknowledged on campus. The coed crew earned first place and the Folks’s Selection Award on the 2025 Campus Sustainability Summit, and Publish revealed a step-by-step Instructible to assist different universities and makerspaces replicate the system.
Funding from the Engineering Excellence Fund helped the group buy a polymer shredder, permitting for extra constant processing of PLA waste and making the recycling course of scalable inside the ITLP.
“What excites me most about this venture is that this began with college students who noticed an issue and determined to unravel it. By backing their creativity with mentorship and sources, we aren’t solely reducing down on waste, we’re exhibiting future engineers that they’ve the facility to drive actual change,” added Amey.
The ITLP plans to proceed increasing its recycling and sustainability initiatives, integrating accountable useful resource administration into its engineering training framework.
Recycling Efforts in Additive Manufacturing
Past initiatives at College of Colorado Boulder, the additive manufacturing {industry} is making vital strides in selling sustainability and materials recycling. In February, America Makes, and the Nationwide Heart for Protection Manufacturing and Machining introduced the winners of a $2.1 million funding spherical, overlaying six key analysis areas. Amongst these, ASTM Worldwide, a world requirements group, will lead a $600K venture on Evaluation of AM Sustainability and Environmental Advantages.
This venture will give attention to creating methodologies for reutilizing and recycling AM supplies. It’s going to discover methods for materials restoration, lifecycle assessments, and frameworks to assist producers undertake eco-friendly practices with out compromising half efficiency or reliability. The analysis will construct on ASTM’s experience in AM requirements, qualification, certification, and sustainability, making certain that the findings contribute to industry-wide greatest practices and regulatory tips.
In 2024, AMAZEMET, a Warsaw-based firm, unveiled its Powder2Powder (P2P) atomization system at Formnext 2024. The system allows environment friendly recycling steel powders and in-situ manufacturing of customized pre-alloy feedstock, advancing sustainable steel powder manufacturing for additive manufacturing.
Need to assist form the way forward for AM? Be part of the Knowledgeable Committee for our 2025 3DPI Awards, launching later this summer season.
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Picture featured reveals recycled PLA fragments from 3D printing waste ready for reuse in CU Boulder’s ITLP recycling program. Picture through CU Boulder.