Circular Economy Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Perfect 3D Printing Filament

Interview with James Nordstrom of 3DPrintClean

James Nordstrom is the founder of 3DPrintClean, which specializes in 3D Printer Filtration and Safety Enclosures. They are looking to solve various issues in terms of safety and public health within the industry of 3D Printing.

What has gotten you to where you are now?

I spent 20 years in software IT, but I always had a fascination in engineering. I did a robotics project in 2010 and that taught me a lot about CAD and various skills. I also worked for various startups in my career.

Can you explain what you do with 3DPrintClean?

My brother’s girlfriend was into comic con. She was building a huge costume with 3D printed parts. Then my brother and I found research on filtration from the Illinois Institute of Technology on various articles on how emissions of 3D printing can be detrimental to one’s health. We then were able to build a prototype quickly. Then we became very involved as one of the first advocates of this. It was interesting as we first were selling a lot to Canada and Europe as they were very health sensitive. Then eventually America started to come around as well. This then allowed us to go more in depth with our solution as well. We started thinking about things like fire safety.

What are your thoughts on sustainability and the circular economy?

This is definitely something we have been thinking about. We have learned a ton about this. The amount of plastic produced with the plastic part and the scaffolding parts is large. PLA is a much better recycling material than typical plastic. If you put it in a landfill, it will not be recyclable. Recycling companies do not know what to do with the material. People use different filament types and that makes them impossible to recycle. There is some great work done in the space from companies like Filabot.

What are some typical areas of concern when a 3D printer is producing a part in terms of sustainability and safety?

Safety is our bread and butter. Filtration and unauthorized access are big areas of concern. I have seen teachers who have had problems as well. I also think it is important to know about the safety behind these materials as well. Resins are a huge problem as well. Metal Sintering powders are also very explosive as well. It is important to keep these things in mind when dealing with 3D Printing and the future of its development.

3D Print Clean

Can you talk about the technology behind 3DPrintClean’s fume and particle filtration system?

We developed proprietary solutions. Most filters do not do well based on the size of the particle. These go straight to your bloodstream when you inhale them. The filter tech addresses various nanoparticles. We also address VOC’s. We pride ourselves on being experts in this field. We constantly look for new ways to filter various products.

The filament side is really interesting. Then are loads of printers that are doing great in terms of safety, but some printers are prone to fire. One thing that shocked us about the filaments is that most printers state that they should be used in a well ventilated area. Everyone also moved to PLA because they thought it was safe.

PLA does produce ultrafine particles as well. This does not mean it is safe. It is especially important in the school when you have growing lungs. A dean from a school we go to used to be a toxicologist and she instantly realized the value of the work we were doing. She then mandated all of their 3D Printers should be using our ventilation systems.

What are some simple things we should all be aware of in terms of 3D printing safety?

I think knowing the basics about mechanical properties is important. Knowing about the heated head is important. Material handling is important especially in SLA printers. Really teaching people to wearing respirators is important. General post processing is important, but knowing about acetone as a flammable object is important. A lot of people used to make their own glue for the bed. One would take acetone and some plastic to make a slosh, but this is actually very dangerous. We realize that with all of these safety concerns taken care of it helps to make a higher quality print. When we have our enclosed system, it allows for air to not affect the temperature.

How important is public health within the growing trend of consumers using 3D printers?

Extremely. It is super critical. People are getting toys and they do not understand them. We have to make people aware of the challenges. It is not something you just put in your bedroom. Professional labs are important to be kept safe. How to be around these items is important. ABS is also flammable, so we have to think about all of these ignition spots.

What are the future plans of 3DPrintClean?

We are continuing to evolve our filters. We will also launch new sizes for printers. We will also continue to build new accessories. We will continue to improve and evolve based on what customers want. People have asked us for fire alarms and text communication to help them know about problems as a remote user. We are just making sure we cover our bases in terms of how we can aid our customers and their safety.

3D Printing & the Circular Economy Part 1

Circular vs Linear Economy

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at minimizing waste and making the most of resources. In a circular system resource input and waste, emissions, and energy leakage are minimized by slowing, closing, and narrowing energy and material loops; this can be achieved through long-lasting design, maintenance, repair, reuse, re-manufacturing, refurbishing, and recycling. This regenerative approach is in contrast to the traditional linear economy, which has a ‘take, make, dispose’ model of production. Proponents of the circular economy suggest that a sustainable world does not mean a drop in the quality of life for consumers, and can be achieved without loss of revenue or extra costs for manufacturers. The argument is that circular business models can be as profitable as linear models, allowing us to keep enjoying similar products and services.

The economy we operate within currently is a mixture of two economies: linear economy and the reuse economy. The linear economy refers to how raw materials are used to make a product, and after its use any waste (e.g. packaging) is thrown away. The reuse economy refers to how In an economy based on recycling, materials are reused. For example, waste glass is used to make new glass and waste paper is used to make new paper. A linear and reuse economy still has an end product of non reusable waste within product creation. A circular economy would be oriented towards eliminating non reusable waste.

Linear to Circular Economy

According to the report What a Waste 2.0, the world is on a trajectory where waste generation will drastically outpace population growth by more than double by 2050. Although we are seeing improvements and innovations in solid waste management globally, it is a complex issue and one that we need to take urgent action on. Solid waste management affects everyone; however, those most affected by the negative impacts of poorly managed waste are largely society’s most vulnerable—losing their lives and homes from landslides of waste dumps, working in unsafe waste-picking conditions, and suffering profound health repercussions.

The world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, with at least 33 percent of that—extremely conservatively—not managed in an environmentally safe manner. Worldwide, waste generated per person per day averages 0.74 kilogram but ranges widely, from 0.11 to 4.54 kilograms. Though they only account for 16 percent of the world’s population, high-income countries generate about 34 percent, or 683 million tonnes, of the world’s waste.

It is important to focus on 3D Printing and the additive manufacturing industry as a whole. This is the future of manufacturing in a sense. Major manufacturing companies are responsible for the majority of our waste production within the world. A major concern for companies is indeed the bottom line. But it can be argued by proponents of the circular economy that a company may gain more from altruistic behavior oriented towards the environment. Additive manufacturing is a process that already is minimizing waste compared to previous methods of production that large manufacturers are used to. What are companies and organizations doing worldwide for this?

Additive Manufacturing and Waste

3D printing and additive manufacturing methods help to minimize excess waste in production, but they are still operating within a linear mindset of production. This refers to how we create a product through design and then send it out for use by an individual. After this product has done its use it may then be terminated, and could lead to similar problems of previous manufacturing methods. It also may be worse as rapid creation of parts can lead to larger aggregates of waste overall in the future. 3D printing and additive manufacturing allow users and organizations to have localized production, This allows for better control over waste steams and for lower C02. Waste reduction occurs naturally as there is transparency with local production And quality control and quick turnover are also important considerations when using additive manufacturing as the basis of a circular economy. With 3D printing, in some cases, we can recycle a number of existing materials into 3D printed things.

I shall be investigating waste and the ideals of the circular economy. I will try to shed light on larger companies and organizations that contribute to waste largely, as well as organizations that are doing their best to be sustainable and lead towards a more circular economy.

Interview with Patrizio Carlucci of Innovation Lab ECCO on 3D Printing Shoes

Patrizio Carlucci

Patrizio Carlucci is the Head of Innovation Lab ECCO a subsidiary of Danish shoemaker ECCO. The Innovation Lab is ECCO’s independent cross-disciplinary design studio. They explore, create, and deliver projects embracing alternative production methods, various materials, new technologies and experiential solutions. This lab has a big project called QUANT-U. It is a footwear customisation project by Innovation Lab ECCO. Built on half a century of industry experience and footwear research in dynamics and fit: QUANT-U combines future technologies to create 3D printed customised comfort, quantified by you. So for more info on innovation and 3D printing within the footwear industry pay attention to this interview!

Tell me a little bit about your background and how you are at this point of your life and your career.

I am an industrial designer by trade with a keen passion towards computer aided design and 3D printing. Fortunate enough in my career to be involved in innovative projects, not only from a designer’s perspective, I have been driven to challenge my own skills and knowledge base on a regular basis. Having been an early adopter of innovative digital tools has helped me in roles were transformation and change management was paramount for businesses, especially from a product strategy perspective.

What are some of the most important aspects of your career that have followed you through various roles?

A common thread for me has been the application of digital agile processes between concepts and products. Being agile in product design and development means more opportunities to identify at an early stage a breakthrough design direction or to refine to perfection existing ones. Furthermore, I have never understood how design and styling, in terms of creative moments, could be isolated from the physical creation of a product, particularly when ultimate product performance is paramount. Designers often delegate 3D work to a modeler, and this is often cause for delays and misinterpretation. For this, from 3D modeling passing by FEA simulation to 3D renders used for marketing purposes, I have personally experienced almost any phase of advanced product development. This helped me further down the line with a decent understanding of advantages and shortcomings of innovative technologies during innovation tasks for the entire product life cycle management.

Quant-U

What skills are the most useful to have at the intersection of 3D Printing and footwear in particular?

It might be trivial but 3D modeling and developing a shoe is a challenging feat compared to other types of products. To mention just a few reasons for this: the lack of lines’ symmetry between the medial and lateral sides of the shoe, the criticality of observing the right fit requisites for a wide range of wearers and the relatively low-tech manufacturing processes that causes inconsistencies between the 3D models and the final shape of the shoe. This is mainly due to components that can’t be molded, cemented or stitched in their final shape if not developed in a flattened form. Additionally, a shoe is a soft and hard good at the same time, requiring distinct processes for uppers and soles. 3D printing an outsole creates a decent representation of the final product but 3D printing a soft upper that feels like the final product is close to impossible.

The team at Ecco has had some interesting projects coming recently. Can you go into more depth about what Ecco is doing in particular when it comes to 3D Printing and footwear?

Dassault Systemes

We are focusing heavily on the wearable data capturing process, both in terms of next generation hardware development and for the advanced interpretation of motion data related to FEA processes with our project partners Dassault Systemes. With DOW Chemical, another project partner, we continuously explore further properties of 3D printed silicone we use for our Quant-U project. There is a lot of hyped and misunderstood activity around 3D printed footwear without a solid solution for true mass production and customization. AM offers the chance to create bespoke parts in series, but this is rarely translated in a consumer product; most likely due to the complexity of the 3D models and a lack of measuring data to begin with. To solve this, we invested heavily on the digital capture and interpretation of motion and orthotic data and the related AI and automated processes for the creation of 3D models without human intervention. With our Quant-U project we are showcasing these abilities on the market already and we look forward to extending its reach to more customers soon.

Which countries around the world are the most innovative in terms of integrating fashion and technology? Where should we be paying attention to in terms of 3D Printing and fashion?

Well, if you consider how thin the separation line between fashion and sportswear is today, and if you consider that technology in wearable goods is usually seen in sportswear, I would put the USA and Germany on the top list. France is seeing a lot of activity related to technology in the luxury brands arena, although still at an experimental level. In Italy, the motherland of luxury goods manufacturing, there is some use of AM processes in the product development phase that might find their way in final products. In the Netherlands, a country often ahead of the curve, there is a vibrant movement dedicated to 3D printed shoes that has been inspiring for a lot of young designers, although not commercially exploited yet. For us at ECCO, a Danish company, we believe to express digital maturity in fashion with our latest project and we hope to engage more and more with consumers from this point of view.

I believe that the next technological innovations in fashion will be represented by new bio/growth materials with a strong focus on sustainability and smart materials that have augmented functionality. The commercial application of 3D printing processes for fashion in general is, and will still be, for few players that have the necessary resources to sustain processes that are still slow in terms of output and expensive in terms of investments. Until a 3D printed product is either fully circular and sustainable or performs substantially better than a standard one, I doubt it will ever surpass the scope of a hyped experiment.

For this, at ECCO with Quant-U, we invested into an approach were a fundamental component of a shoe could be customized and 3D printed using a material and a process that truly augments the product’s performance while keeping the manufacturing aspect intact.

Michigan Tech scientists write recommendations for greener 3D printing

Fab Labs are forming a Green Fab Lab Network which will harness renewable resources and 3D printing to build sustainable and circular economies. In a paper titled, “Green Fab Lab Applications of Large-Area Waste Polymer-based Additive Manufacturing“, scientists from Michigan Technological University and Aalto University, Finland, studied how a Green Fab Lab Network can be economically […]