Recycling of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Scraps in Conventional Plastic Injection Systems

Abstract

It is known that plastic materials, separated from the circular economy, are divided into small pieces over many years and create risks by mixing with nature, seas, freshwater resources, and terrestrial ecosystems in micro dimensions. It is thought that micro-size powder material and production scraps not used in Additive Manufacturing (AM) production processes will turn into a waste problem in the future in parallel with the increasing usage intensity. In this direction, this study presents a new and sustainable usage model within the scope of recycling Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) wastes. In the study, granule materials obtained from AM waste material mixtures with different parameters are recommended to be recycled by using them to produce functional plastic parts in the automotive industry plastic injection systems. In this context, materials recycled with different methods and function tests in automotive company acceptance standards are shared.