2015 IfM Design Show: ReelCycle
Channel: Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
Date: 2015-06-23

3D printing is exploding in popularity, but generates considerable scrap plastic. The product recycles this back into a cartridge for the printers, saving £30/kg for the operators. Unlike existing machines, it is fully integrated, making it the most consumer-friendly on the market.

Despite 3D printing’s innate appeal and potential, it is currently expensive, unreliable and complicated to use. Many businesses already use 3D printers for prototyping during the design process, but many are now increasingly harnessing it in more conventional manufacturing, particularly in niche industries such as motor sports and personalised medicine. As the technology becomes more accessible and is used by mainstream consumers, businesses and academic institutions, it must become more reliable and cost-effective.

The ReelCycle makes 3D printing cheaper and greener to use. It allows businesses and individuals to produce new reels of plastic, which are used in 3D printers as cartridges. These reels are produced using scrap printed parts, or inexpensive pellets, thereby reducing material waste and saving money on printing materials. It requires minimum user input and is reliable, making it appropriate for helping the 3D printing market transition to a more mainstream user base.

The primary customers within the market will be educational institutions and businesses that use their printers enough to generate significant quantities of waste plastic. The ReelCycle will be offered primarily on a service-based model, further simplifying the maintenance for users. The service will work such that the product is provided on a rental basis to the customers, with a monthly charge based on usage of the machine to produce new reels of plastic. Maintenance or replacement and assistance will be provided to customers when required.

Team:
Jack Agass
Will Harborne
Nirali Patel
Theo Snudden