Plastic Shredder using Kitchen Blender

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Plastic Shredder using Kitchen Blender

Release status: unknown

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Description
A simple way to turn scrap printed parts into granules small enough to feed a Filament Extruder.
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Author
unknown
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CAD Models
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Here we show a process to turn scrap plastics into granules usable with a Granule Extruder.

Flattening the parts

First step is to make these parts flat. As they're thermoplastic (else you wouldn't be able to print with them later), you can melt them. And right, the easiest way is to melt them in an oven:

Melt Scrap Prints 1.jpeg Melt Scrap Prints 2.jpeg
Putting failed prints onto baking paper and applying some heat (220 °C for PLA) ... ... turns them into nice flat pieces.

Shreddering

These flat pieces are more easily to break, so you can put them into a blender to make granules of them.

Break Scrap Prints 1.jpeg Break Scrap Prints 2.jpeg

Sieving

As you likely have a printer, you can print your own sieve! It's said that parts should have a maximum size of 5 mm.

Sieved Scrap Prints 1.jpeg

Further Reading

Procedures achieving a similar goal and, of course, extruders which can turn these granules back into filament, can be found in Category:Recycling.