Researchers at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich., are developing filament out of recycled milk jugs for 3D printing, according to a Science Daily news report.
By using open-source designs, 3D printers can make a multitude of objects by laying down thin layers of plastic in a specific pattern. However, commercial filament can be quite costly, the report said.
“One impediment to even more widespread use has been the cost of filament,” said Robert Pearce, associate professor of materials science and electrical and computer engineering at MTU, in a statement.
By using milk jugs instead of commercial filament, the price of 3D printing is significantly lowered. Twenty jugs gets you about 1 kg of plastic filament, which costs approximately $30 to $50 online, Pearce told Science Daily.
Source: Waste & Recycling News