Experimental Study of the Process of Obtaining Filament for 3D Printing from Plastic Waste

In the modern world, the problem of plastic waste disposal is becoming increasingly urgent. The growth of production and consumption of plastic products creates a serious environmental burden on the environment. Plastic waste makes up a significant part of solid household waste, and its decomposition can take hundreds of years. This not only pollutes the environment, but also poses a threat to human and animal health. An effective solution to this problem is possible through the introduction of new methods of plastic recycling - the process of processing it for reuse. Recycling allows not only to reduce the amount of waste, but also to reduce the need for the production of new polymers, which contributes to the reduction of consumption of natural resources and energy. Plastic is a fairly good structural material that is successfully used in metallurgical equipment components as sealing elements, as well as in the creation of various types of composite materials used in friction components, such as universal spindle liners. The rapid development of 3D printing allows you to quickly and efficiently perform various types of plastic parts of various configurations. Therefore, a natural question arises of considering the possibility of processing various types of plastic waste into consumables for 3D printing, with the possibility of its further use for the manufacture of metallurgical equipment parts. It has been determined that the effective processing of plastic waste depends on the selection of optimal process parameters and technological equipment. Familiarization with the technology and equipment for recycling showed that the selection of raw materials and the determination of optimal speed-temperature characteristics of the process have a significant impact on the efficiency of the process. It has been established that the optimal temperature regime for recycling plastic bottles from PET plastic by the drawing method for forming filament for 3D printing is 160-200°C. At these temperatures, the material retains high mechanical properties, is evenly formed, is not subject to thermal destruction, and allows obtaining an equiaxed, maximally filled filament structure of a circular cross-section.