How Recycling MJF & SLS Powder into FDM Filament Promotes Sustainability in Additive Manufacturing

Never has there been so much discussion of environmental damage and awareness of our impact on the planet. Whatever the sector, environmental protection is at the heart of many concerns. And the 3D printing market is no exception. With the rise of additive manufacturing also comes the need to adopt sustainable practices that reduce waste and promote a circular economy. One of the ways to achieve this is by transforming and reusing waste materials.

3devo, a Dutch company specializing in the development and recycling of 3D printing materials, is asking just such questions and has recently developed a solution for recycling MJF/SLS powder waste into high-quality 3D printing filament. MJF and SLS are both powder-based 3D printing technologies but differ in key aspects. For example, MJF produces parts with more uniform mechanical properties and better surface finishes, while SLS offers a broader range of materials and finer resolution for intricate details. Both MJF and SLS powders can be processed efficiently by 3devo’s recycling system. In so doing, the company is promoting and encouraging a circular economy.

3devo developed a solution for recycling MJF/SLS powder into 3D printing filament

Quantifying the Environmental Impact

The additive manufacturing industry, while innovative, generates a significant amount of waste, particularly in the form of unused or discarded microplastics, such as SLS and MJF powder. The powder is typically made of PA12 Nylon and other thermoplastics, although in the case of SLS printing, the powder can also include other materials such as polyamides, thermoplastic elastomers or composite powders mixed with glass or aluminum.