the use of molds has been very useful, but how about if the community of recyclers start to create much more intricate designs for every day use using 3D printers, from molten bottle caps or plastics into modern beautiful items like jewelry or clothing items in order to speed up production and create a wider variety of products to engage a large customer base than it is currently reaching.
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I would say it is the wrong direction (my opinion):
3D printing filament needs to be really accurate in diameter. So it is hard the produce proper filament. (unless it will be a pallet-3Dprinter.
Also 3D printing has a lower finish than products from the PP machine. (you see lines)
3D printing can only be done with certain materials like PLA, ABS and PET. HDPE (caps) shrinks too much so will never result in a nice product.
Working on version 2 of my filament maker. with diameter feedback. winder. custom lead screw. machined barell and using all 3d printer inexpensive parts.
it’s true, you can’t simply make filament with Dave Hakkens machines. It has been mentioned a few times. Making filament requires much more attention and machinery:
– higher end production : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEkksADFjP8
– low end production (with no prove that it is actually good filament) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RigJNWbyzhQ
the current specs of ‘Dave Hakkens’ using a wood drill which fails after hours already, in reality you need a real singe extrusion screw, it takes 2 full days to produce such screw, and it requires good machines. Such screw can easily cost 1000-2000 euro, extra equipment (water baths): another 2000 euro. You can get such a screw here in the bazar for 300 – 400 Euro but again, nowhere here is any evidence that somebody produced acceptable filament.