Waste management
At CEAD in the Netherlands, large-format 3D printing meets circular thinking. With a WEIMA WLK 4 shredder, the company efficiently recycles reinforced plastic waste and is now working with research partners to turn the flakes into new printing material.
Based in Delft, CEAD Group B.V. develops and builds large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) systems for the marine, construction, and composite industries. Their pellet-based 3D printing technology enables customers to produce full-scale components, from complex molds and rapid prototypes to entire boats, using fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites (FRP).
This cutting-edge pellet extrusion process provides maximum design flexibility and an accelerated design-to-production cycle. Yet, it also produces a common challenge for any research-driven production process: what happens to the discarded prints and prototypes?
Each new print iteration pushes the limits of what’s possible in industrial-format 3D printing. But discarded parts and prototype structures, often made from glass- or carbon-fiber reinforced polymers, quickly accumulate.
At CEAD’s Maritime Application Center, where massive boat sections are printed, the scale of production means that leftover prints can weigh several hundred kilograms. Disposing of such large pieces through conventional means was neither efficient nor sustainable. A smarter solution was needed.
After consulting with industry partners, CEAD found its ideal recycling solution in WEIMA. The installed WEIMA WLK 4 single-shaft shredder with a 10 mm screen easily handles reinforced thermoplastic components and converts them into uniform flakes around 10 mm in size.
These flakes serve as the perfect intermediate material for reprocessing and upcycling, supporting CEAD’s long-term goal of achieving a closed-loop material
workflow — from print to product to print again. The machine’s durability and ease of operation make it a reliable asset in CEAD’s additive manufacturing ecosystem.
Together with several Dutch R&D partners, CEAD is now exploring how the shredded material can be repelletized for reuse in pellet extrusion 3D printers. Early trials are promising, showing that short fiber-reinforced composites can be successfully transformed into new feedstock materials without compromising print quality. This approach not only reduces material waste but also opens new pathways for sustainable, closed-loop additive manufacturing.
The WEIMA shredder has become a trusted part of CEAD’s workflow —combining reliability with simplicity in daily operation.
“WEIMA for me is reliable, easy to operate, and a trustworthy partner,”
says Mark Muilwijk, Material and Process Specialist at CEAD.
“We’ve been using the shredder frequently without any breakdowns, and it performs perfectly in an industrial environment.”
With WEIMA technology as part of its end-to-end manufacturing workflow, CEAD is redefining what sustainable large-format additive manufacturing can look like.
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