{"id":1630,"date":"2022-01-14T09:02:27","date_gmt":"2022-01-14T09:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/printermaterials.com\/?p=1630"},"modified":"2023-01-15T02:25:45","modified_gmt":"2023-01-15T02:25:45","slug":"recycle-3d-filament-3d-printer-filament-recycler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/printermaterials.com\/recycle-3d-filament-3d-printer-filament-recycler\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Recycle 3D Printer Filament"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning how to recycle 3D printer filament with a 3D printer filament recycler is super easy if you have the right tools. It requires a little bit of patience, space to store failed prints and other waste plastic, and a few appliances. <\/span><\/p>\n

But the process itself is very simple. The best part about it is that you can get set up to extrude filament in an afternoon. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are several brands of home extruders to choose from<\/a>, as well as filament spoolers, grinders and accessories in case you want to augment the extrusion process. Our favorite is Filabot<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In combination, these machines and accessories make the process simple enough for a blind monkey to pull off.<\/span><\/p>\nTable could not be displayed.\n

\n

\n

Why Recycle 3D Printer Filament <\/span><\/h2>\n

\"22782wall\"<\/p>\n

The main reason to recycle filament is simply cost savings. 3D printing inherently involves wasting a lot of plastic on failed prints, disposable rafts and supports for larger prints with overhangs. All of this plastic usually ends up getting thrown out. <\/span><\/p>\n

But over time the value of that waste plastic will add up and end up costing you a lot of money. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"FilabotInstead of throwing these failed prints away, if you store them in a bin, you can eventually recycle them back into filament for reuse. Your homemade filament probably won\u2019t the same quality as production level filament, but it will still be usable and can save you a lot of money.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are also environmental concerns to think about. Recycling is something we are all taught to do from a young age. Diligent recycling habits reduce the pollution caused by waste materials entering the environment after we are done with them. <\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly 3D printing produces a lot of waste plastic. Considering that plastic is perhaps the number one waste material that negatively impacts our environment, learning how to recycle 3D printer filament can reduce the impact the 3D printer plastic has on the environment in general.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Step 1:<\/span> Collect Plastic For Extrusion<\/span><\/h2>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>(4\/5)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"It takes a good amount of plastic to extrude a 1kg spool. The first thing you will need is a set of bins or sorting trays to store filament and to help you separate out different colors of plastic. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"failedIf you were thinking ahead, you might have already set these up beforehand so that you could just toss failed prints of various colors into their respective bins. But if not, no worries, just set up your containers and get sorting. <\/span><\/p>\n

A popular type of container to use for sorting is fabric shoe holders. However, those containers aren\u2019t air tight, and it can take a while to build up enough waste filament of each color to have enough to extrude. <\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, it\u2019s best to use large tupperware containers or smaller plastic storage bins the size of a shoe box.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n