Project number
25508
Organization
Engineering Design Center
Offering
ENGR498-S2025-F2025
Project Scope: Academic makerspaces, such as the Engineering Design Center and CATalyst Studios, generate significant plastic waste from 3D printing, particularly due to novice users learning the process. While recycling this waste is possible, traditional recycling equipment is often bulky and expensive, limiting accessibility in these settings. This project seeks to address this issue by developing a compact, desktop plastics shredder specifically designed to process waste from 3D printers. The initial focus will be on PLA, a commonly used material in 3D printing.
Description:
The project aims to reduce plastic waste in academic makerspaces by designing and prototyping a desktop shredder tailored for recycling 3D printer materials like PLA. By collaborating with professors and leveraging community resources, the team will create a cost-effective and user-friendly solution that integrates seamlessly into makerspace environments. The results, including designs and technical documentation, will be open-sourced to encourage broader adoption. Future plans include expanding the shredder’s capabilities to process other types of plastic, supporting a more sustainable approach to 3D printing.
Scope: (1) Work with Professor Briggs, to understand the current plastics recycling machinery used and the open-source information available. (2) Evaluate existing information and projects to draw inspiration and resources. (3) Design a plastic shredder to process PLA plastic filament. (4). Build a prototype desktop plastic shredder, complete with mechanical, electrical diagrams, and source code. (5) Test system with supplied material and iterate on previous steps until issues are resolved. (7) Document project and resources to be distributed to an open-source community. (8) Present results in a video documentation and website for the UArizona community and the general public.
Description:
The project aims to reduce plastic waste in academic makerspaces by designing and prototyping a desktop shredder tailored for recycling 3D printer materials like PLA. By collaborating with professors and leveraging community resources, the team will create a cost-effective and user-friendly solution that integrates seamlessly into makerspace environments. The results, including designs and technical documentation, will be open-sourced to encourage broader adoption. Future plans include expanding the shredder’s capabilities to process other types of plastic, supporting a more sustainable approach to 3D printing.
Scope: (1) Work with Professor Briggs, to understand the current plastics recycling machinery used and the open-source information available. (2) Evaluate existing information and projects to draw inspiration and resources. (3) Design a plastic shredder to process PLA plastic filament. (4). Build a prototype desktop plastic shredder, complete with mechanical, electrical diagrams, and source code. (5) Test system with supplied material and iterate on previous steps until issues are resolved. (7) Document project and resources to be distributed to an open-source community. (8) Present results in a video documentation and website for the UArizona community and the general public.