Engineering Day 2024 – Canadian University Dubai
PET Bottle to 3D Printer Filament Recycler
Rebuilt a Creality Ender 3 into a PET recycling machine that turns discarded water bottles into usable 3D printer filament.
- Year
- 2024
- Location
- Dubai, UAE
- Tools and methods
- 3D Printing, Extrusion, Temperature Control, Sustainability
Concept
The project started from a simple question: instead of throwing away PET bottles and failed prints, can we turn them into new filament?
An old Ender 3 was dismantled and rebuilt as a compact recycling machine for PET plastic.
Process & Mechanism
Bottles are cut into strips, then fed through a heated extrusion system tuned for PET.
Careful temperature control and pull speed ensure a consistent filament diameter suitable for printing.
Impact
The system demonstrated a practical way to reduce waste and material cost while learning deeply about extrusion and materials.
Media
