YouTuber Michael from Teaching Tech recently published a DIY project for a filament pelletizer. This is a device that can be used to recycle leftover 3D printing filament.
The self-designed device shreds old filament into small, uniform pellets. According to TeachingTech, these are very suitable for later extrusion into new filament. This reduces waste and conserves resources.
To build the pelletizer, Teaching Tech provides the necessary 3D models free of charge on the 3D model platform Printables. It uses standard hardware such as a milling machine, a series of ball bearings and a gearbox made from 3D-printed gears. The latter feeds the filament automatically, without separate electronics.
After initial teething troubles with the prototypes, the current version is running very well, according to TeachingTech. Small iterations to the design have noticeably improved performance. The pellets are very uniform and do not cause blockages in downstream recycling devices.
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