IOL by Arthi Gopi 11/22/2018
Durban - Recycling has been taken to new levels - straight out of the world, that is.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) in the US, has created the “Refabricator†machine, that can not only 3D print plastic parts, but recycle them back into reusable raw materials to make more parts.
The Refabricator will be the first integrated recycler-manufacturer in orbit and may eventually be able to recycle and print, using metal as well as plastic.
The machine, about the size of a mini fridge, boosts in-space manufacturing, and reduces the need for parts to be rocketed into space when something breaks on the International Space Centre.
More:
https://www.iol.co.za/ios/news/space-age-recycling-and-3d-printing-soon-to-be-launched-18226922
The Refabricator machine will be the first integrated recycler-manufacturer in orbit and
may eventually be able to recycle and print, using metal as well as plastic. Picture: NASA
