Why should we back?
Intro
Welcome to KickstartNew! Today we’re spotlighting an ambitious project: ExtrudeX – 3D Print Waste Recycler & Filament Maker on Kickstarter. This project aims to transform your failed prints, support material, or purge waste into usable filament — letting you recycle 3D-printing waste into fresh filament on your own desktop.
Why should I back this project?
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Waste-to-filament recycling: ExtrudeX lets you reuse failed prints and discarded plastic from previous prints, reducing waste and maximizing material use.
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Affordable DIY approach: Because the structural parts are 3D-printable, you only need to supply some standard hardware parts — making it far more cost-effective than professional filament recyclers.
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Simple mechanics — no firmware or coding required: The design relies on basic hardware (motor, heaters, a heated barrel, PID temperature control), so you don’t need to be a coding expert.
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Sustainable and eco-friendly: By recycling waste plastic into new filament, you cut down on plastic waste and reduce the need to regularly buy new filament spools — aligning with eco-conscious 3D printing practices.
What are the potential drawbacks you should consider when you back it?
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Requires additional hardware sourcing: Backers get STL files and instructions, but need to source non-printable components (motor, heater, barrel, power supply, etc.), which adds complexity and extra cost.
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You likely cannot get 100% recycled filament: To get good results, the team recommends mixing ~40% waste plastic with ~60% virgin pellets — fully recycled filament may not be realistic.
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Variable filament quality: Recycled filament may have inconsistent diameter or surface quality depending on how waste or pellets are processed, potentially affecting print reliability.
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DIY assembly & user effort required: It’s a DIY build — requires some technical comfort, assembly work, and maybe troubleshooting; not a plug-and-play consumer product out of box.
The reliability of the project
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Strong community interest and funding: The campaign is currently massively overfunded (target was small, but backers have poured in substantially), which suggests many people believe in the concept.
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Transparent, hardware-only design: The project doesn’t rely on proprietary software or closed systems; all structural parts are open (STL), and controls are simple hardware-based — easier to understand and potentially to debug.
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Realistic, tested mechanism: The extrusion process uses a DC gear motor, heated barrel, and standard components; prior DIY filament-extrusion concepts exist, so it’s not purely speculative.
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With community caveats: Because results depend heavily on user assembly, material preparation (shredding failed prints, mixing pellets), and care during extrusion — outcomes may vary greatly by user.
Conclusion
If you’re an active 3D-printing hobbyist generating frequent waste (failed prints, support material, purge waste), backing ExtrudeX could offer a meaningful, cost-effective path to recycling and reusing that material — cutting waste, saving costs, and promoting sustainability. However, you should be ready to source some hardware parts, invest effort in assembly and material preparation, and accept some variability in filament quality. For those comfortable with a DIY build and eager to experiment, ExtrudeX offers a practical and promising way to close the loop on 3D printing waste. For casual users who print infrequently or prefer ready-made filament, it may not be worth the time and effort.
