ReCreateIt Labs

This week, we chose to work with donated blue plastic, collected through the ReStore and prepared by sorting, cleaning and cutting it into flakes for printing. 🔵🔷 With this material, we created a geometric planter, a leaf shaped tray, and a blue cat designed by one of our staff members. Working with recycled plastic helps us learn how materials behave in different forms and designs, and how each print turns out unique. ♻️ You can now find all of these prints in our display. Stop by to see them up close and pick up a piece to brighten your space or decor! 🫶🏼 #Innovation #3DPrinting #recycled #trashtotreasure

Huge shoutout to BeiBei, one of our Visual Education Associates, for creating this design completely on her own. 🤩 She poured so much excitement into making this cat, and the clear and blue recycled plastic flakes give it a finish that looks incredible on camera. The timelapse shows the moment her hard work becomes something real. ✨ It’s now available for purchase, and if you’re interested, be sure to check out our display for more interesting items! 💙 #Innovation #3DPrinting #TrashToTreasure #PlasticWaste

Thrilled to share our latest paper, entitled “Sustainable recycled coloured polypropylene using fused granulate fabrication: Influences of pigments, copolymer composition and morphology on material properties”, co-authored by our Western Sydney University Team - Jojibabu Panta, Phan Quoc Khang Nguyen, Dr. Tosin Famakinwa and me, and the re:3D Inc Team - Christopher Hong, Amber Douglas, Samantha Snabes and Charlotte Craff, published in the prestigious Journal Sustainable Materials and Technologies (Q1, Impact Factor: 9.2). In this study, we comprehensively investigated the influence of pigments, copolymer, and morphology on thermal, rheological, and mechanical behaviours of recycled polypropylene (rPP) printed using Fused Granular Fabrication (FGF), a pellet-based 3D printing technique. We used FTIR and XRD analyses to identify that polyethylene segments and pigments induced crystallinity modification in opaque samples (red, purple, black and blue), while clear and green samples retained well-defined isotactic structures. DSC and TGA indicated dual melting peaks and minor reductions in thermal stability in copolymer-rich samples. Rheological measurements showed that melt flow viscosity and shear-thinning behaviour depend on pigment-polymer interactions and copolymer composition. Mechanical testing revealed significant effects on tensile (13.3–23.8 MPa), flexural (19.9–30.3 MPa), and impact (3.5–7.5 kJ/m2) properties depending on printing temperature and formulation. Fractography revealed phase separation, cavitation, and pigment dispersion influencing energy dissipation. Successful single and multi-colour rPP showcases validated structural integrity for sustainable additive manufacturing applications. It is the third important journal publication generated by us to report our research findings of our projects funded CSIRO | National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator Program: Phase 1 - Designing for Circular Economies: Creating Impact from Local Plastic Waste Using Off-Grid Containerized 3D Printers & Practice Based Learning and Phase 2 - ReCreateIt Labs: Transforming Plastic Waste Through Community-Led Manufacturing.  The paper can be accessed via clicking the URL below: https://lnkd.in/gN_sF-BR We also would like to share another two papers with you, which were published earlier this year and last year and are also the outcomes of the same projects: one in Materials Today Sustainability (Q1, Impact Factor: 7.9) and the other in Polymer Testing (Q1, Impact Factor: 6.0), respectively, and you can access them via clicking the URLs below: https://lnkd.in/g2GEAwkd and   https://lnkd.in/gs9XxK-z. I am very proud of leading our WSU Team, Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Technology, innovative and productive all the time and there are no doubts to have more research outcomes in the near future.

Our newest lampshade is glowing in pink and orange, and we are completely in love with how it turned out! The gradient from soft orange to warm pink gives off such a cozy light, and the details are sharper than ever thanks to our new extruder. 🎉 The updated setup allows for finer lines and smoother surfaces, giving every print a more polished and professional finish. It's amazing to see how small upgrades in our process can make such a big visual difference. ✨ We have a growing collection of lampshades available, each paired with lamps that show off their unique colors and patterns. Come take a look and see how recycled design keeps evolving! 🙌 ♻️ #Innovation #PlasticWaste #3DPrinting #TrashToTreasure

The transformation has begun! 🙌 We are taking the Carter Work Project bottles, the clear and blue ones you might remember, and giving them a new purpose. ♻️ Right now, they are being granulated into tiny flakes that will soon be used in 3D printing. The process has only just started, and we cannot wait to share what comes next. Stay tuned for more updates and see how these bottles evolve into something entirely new! ✨ #Innovation #PlasticWaste #3DPrinting #TrashToTreasure

For the first time, we’re exploring red in our 3D prints! Bright recycled flakes have been transformed layer by layer into a vase full of color, and texture. ❤️ It’s amazing to see how a pile of flakes can turn into something functional and beautiful, and this first red vase is a step toward many more experiments with shapes, colors, and possibilities. ✨ Stop by anytime to see our creations in person, and support the work we’re building with recycled plastic! 🫶🏼 #Innovation #PlasticWaste #Recycle #3DPrinting

Each flake falling before you was once plastic waste. In October we processed over 420 pounds, transforming it into material for 3D printed objects. ♻️ Every flake is part of a bigger mission: diverting 10,000 pounds of plastic from landfills. This is the story of waste becoming possibility, discarded items turning into something with meaning, and small actions building toward real impact. 💪 #Innovation #TrashToTreasure #3DPrinting #PlasticWaste