Taking Circular Economy from Theory to Practice

Bringing Recyclability into Manufacturing

Lapland University of Applied Sciences (Lapland UAS), the testing ground for future-friendly technologies, needed a setup where old parts and prototypes were in storage shelves, rather than waste bins to stay on one of the core values within Lapland UAS, sustainability. 3devo’s full solution enabled Lapland UAS to manifest a circular economy within their 3D Printing lab.

Students at the mechanical engineering wing of Lapland University of Applied Sciences were constrained by the amount of 3D printing they could perform in their laboratory. With materials being expensive, and 3D printing being a crucial part of engineering courses and research projects, the department was in need of a recycling solution for failed prints and an element of sustainability in the learning process.

One student was tasked with surveying the recycling landscape, comparing solutions available on the market and selecting a desktop extruder. The full set offered by 3devo, was selected to recycle commonly used materials into 3D printing filament, keeping with the university’s vision of bringing sustainability to educational practices.

• 100% Recycled PLA
  The team at Lapland UAS, lead by Nicole’s research and experimentation has allowed for PLA to be recycled into 3D printing filament and 3d printable. ore accuracy and freedom than on-screen calculations.
  
  
• Circular Economy in the Lab
  

  Equipped with the 3devo machines, and the accompanying possibilities such as access to a material developers’ forum, Nicole and her supervisor were able to establish a working example of the circular economy within their laboratory.

• Minimizing Wastage
  

  Now that PLA has been identified as a 100% recyclable material, they hope to arrive at similar results with PLA composites. In the long term, the entire effort is to establish a robust education system where the freedom to innovate stems from a determination to minimize wastage.