【3D PRINTING APPLICATIONS】3D Printing from Waste Bottles: Turning Recycled Plastic into Gifts!
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is using recycled PET plastic bottles to manufacture 3D printed parts and tools, a pioneering move for an airline that reduces engineering and maintenance costs, reuses resources, and is more environmentally friendly. Ton Dortmans, Executive Vice President of KLM Engineering & Maintenance (E&M), emphasized: "KLM continues to invest in sustainable, innovative manufacturing processes. For our customers, internal staff, and society as a whole, we are proud to transform recycled waste into more valuable products."
Circular Manufacturing Method
KLM first set the goal of "reducing waste by 50% by 2030 (compared to 2011)," with the reuse of recycled materials being a major focus. Among these, "PET" is one of the most common materials. Previously, KLM would purchase PET from material suppliers for the E&M department. Now, they directly collect PET plastic bottles from passengers and transport them to a local recycling company (Morssinkhof Rymoplast). There, these PET bottles are processed into granular plastic, which is then made into 3D printing filament.
From the start of the filament production process, the recycling company collects several tons of plastic bottles annually from Amsterdam Airport, while KLM's E&M department uses about 1.5 kg of high-quality filament daily. With KLM reusing PET, the cost of these filaments has dropped from 60 euros per kilogram to 17 euros. Thanks to the open filament function, KLM can apply these eco-friendly materials to the Ultimaker S5 Pro Bundle to produce even more tools.
(Sustainable 3D printing filament made from PET water bottles on the Ultimaker S5 Pro Bundle, with Air Manager and Material Station. Image courtesy of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.)
From Consumption to Application: Water Bottles Become Gifts
In the past, this was used to develop protective covers for painting, to prevent the wheel rim holes of a Boeing 737 from being covered during the final paint application. In addition, they also 3D printed accessories for the luggage compartment door, helping to retrieve high-up luggage on a Boeing 787, allowing a task that previously required two people to be completed by just one. Beyond tools and assistive applications, KLM also partnered with "Local Makers" to launch 3D printed miniature houses as souvenir gifts for business class VIPs, creating more added value.
(Photo shows 3D printing filament made from PET water bottles and its application, image courtesy of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.)
It's exciting to see this pioneering initiative by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines successfully transform recycled materials into a complete supply chain operating system, creating more value for these Earth's resources. 3D printing plays an indispensable role in the development and application of emerging technologies, allowing materials to be remanufactured at will. Contact us now to choose the best solution and join the ranks of digital manufacturing today!
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