Plastic waste has become one of the most pressing environmental issues; materials such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic is commonly used to make bottles for soda or water, only to be disposed into landfills if not recycled.
With this in mind, 3D printing service JRT3D has teamed up with machine manufacturer Novatech to develop PETBot, a machine that recycles plastic bottles into 3D printer “ink”.
3D printing is turning a three-dimensional digital model into a physical form by using layers of filament material. The materials used can vary from metal, carbon resins, powder, and plastic.
PETBot works by cutting the bottle into long strips, and a driven spool rolls up it up. The spool is then heated to melt the material and pulls through a nozzle to form the filament, later used as ink for 3D printers.
“With no more [purchasing of] filament needed, the PETBot machine allows you to make filament out of PET Plastic Bottles.” said the RT3D. “You can make inks from bottles of different colours and brands.”
The PETBot project has recently announced to launch a Kickstarter campaign for fundings.
