News
June 20, 2022
Using a plastic pellet-type 3D printer being jointly developed with S lab
Toyoda Gosei Accelerates Plastic Waste Recycling
Kiyosu, Japan, June 20, 2022: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. is jointly developing a plastic pellet-type 3D printer together with S lab Inc.,1 and will use it to increase the recycling of plastic waste in the company as part of its efforts to reduce waste.
A key feature of 3D printers is that they can shape various products without the use of molds. The 3D printer being developed applies both S lab’s technology of extrusion machine2 and Toyoda Gosei’s expertise in plastic molding. While previous systems needed plastic filaments specially made for 3D printers, the new 3D printer can utilize plastic pellets, low-cost materials used widely for the molding of plastic products.
Toyoda Gosei is leveraging this 3D printer to boost recycle of the plastic waste generated in the production of automotive interiors and exteriors. Some of plastic waste does not meet strength and other specifications for reuse in automotive parts, so the company has been unable to recycle it in-house. The new 3D printer enables the re-pelletized plastic waste to be shaped without molds and gives it new life as fixtures or other tools.
It will be exhibited by S lab at the “Additive Manufacturing Expo” to be held at Tokyo Big Sight on June 22–24.
1 Joint development has been ongoing since Toyoda Gosei invested in S lab in July 2019.
2 A device that is part of molding machines. An internal screw is turned, and the heat melts plastic pellets which are then extruded into a mold.
Recycling flow for plastic waste
Plastic pallet-type 3D printer
Difference with conventional 3D printer
