Abstract:
The 3D printing technology utilizes three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD)
drawings to manufacture 3D objects. This technology has attracted growing interest
due to the possibilities it can bring to the world economy by changing how goods are
manufactured. Commonly used 3D printing filaments are acrylonitrile butadiene
styrene (ABS) and Polylactic acid (PLA), but they are very expensive and not
environment friendly. There is great concern about how the filament should be made
from recycled materials and be eco-friendly. In this research recycled polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) was used to produce a 3D printing filament.
In this research the recycled waste PET materials was converted into high value and
useful products such as dog bones test samples, 3D printing filaments, mobile robot
chassis, drone blades etc. Through mechanical recycling of PET waste, the obtained
granules were extruded into a filament. The American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) standard dog bones were printed from a reprap printer to test
mechanical and thermal characteristics. The mechanical and thermal properties of
recycled PET such as melt flow, tensile strength, Young modulus, and yield strain
were observed to go along with the printed PLA filament parameters.
It was found that recycled PET has melt flow index=2.85g/10min, Tensile
strength=35.7 Mpa, Young's modulus=2457 Mpa, melting temperature=250°C,
extruding temperature=250°C-260°C. These parameters compares with those of PLA
that hasmelt flow index= (2.4-4.3) g/lOmin, Tensile strength= 50-55 Mpa, Young's
modulus= 3500 Mpa, melting temperature= (120-190)°C, extruding
temperature= l 60°C-220°C.
Thus, recycled PET present an alternative filament that is cheaper, environmental
friendly, and locally available. This study contributes to the larger ecological issue of
environmental conservation by using plastics scattered in the communities to make
useful products. Another contribution is on absorption of the 3D printing technology
by lowering the cost of the printing filament and providing local solution with local
materials.
