May
12
Recycled Technology = 3D Printed Chair
May 12, 2012 | Leave a Comment
The Endless Chair by Dirk van der Kooij, is created entirely from recycled materials (hence the name). Not only is the chair made from plastic pellets made from old, recycled refrigerators, as seen in the beginning of this video, the printer is a used part from the assembly line of an automobile manufacturer. The robotic arm was re-purposed and re-programmed by Dirk to extrude melted plastic parts into a CAD form of his own creation. This awesome video shows a life size view of what happens inside all 3D printers. However, it doesn’t illustrate the use of support material. Therefore, Dirk has cleverly designed a chair that could be printed while laying on its side with a model material that is robust enough to support itself. Check out his site here.
This post helps us all realize how easy the concept of 3D printing can be. Likewise, it’s just another way of invoking thought about sustainability and re-purposing old technology that would otherwise be wasted.