Large-Scale 3D Printing Using Recycled PET. The Case of Upcycle Lab @ DB Schenker Singapore

Large-scale additive manufacturing for architectural applications is a growing research field. In the recent years, several real-scale projects demonstrated a preliminary viability of this technology for practical applications in architecture. Concurrently, the use of recycled polymers in 3d printing has progressed as a more sustainable feed for small-scale applications. However, there are limited empirical examples on the use of additive manufacturing using recycled polymers in large-scale and real-life architectural applications. This project develops two design and fabrication approaches to large-scale manufacturing using recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) from single-use bottles into large design elements and tests them in a real-life project. The two designs are discussed in detail: a 4 m diameter dome-like chandelier printed with a robotic extruder using recycled PET pellets, and a 3.5 m diameter chandelier using a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printing farm. The paper covers the state of the art of related printing technologies and their gaps, describes the printing process developed in this research, details the design of the domes, and discusses the empirical evidence on the benefits and drawbacks of large-scale additive manufacturing using recycled polymers. Overall, the research demonstrates the possibilities of large-scale additive manufacturing using recycled polymers, adding findings form a real-life project to the growing body of research on additive manufacturing in architecture.