The 3D Printery was established in 2022 by industrial designer and academic Ross Stevens to explore and harness the potential of large-scale 3D printing and recycling.
As an early adopter of digital manufacturing, Ross co-created Ponoko in 2007, a pioneering digital manufacturing platform. Even at that time, he recognized the potential of emerging technologies to empower people to create and recycle products in a more economical and sustainable manner.
In 2010, he challenged his students to design a 3D home-making and recycling system, which resulted in the creation of the world’s first RecycleBot. The focus on recycling unwanted prints naturally led to the adoption of FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) technology. Coupled with the use of bio-based PLA (Polylactic Acid), this approach offered an ideal balance between minimal environmental impact and the ability to print at architectural scales.
Drawing from extensive experience with the filament-based BIG Rep 3D printing system, Ross realized that moving to an even larger scale would require a pellet-based system to increase the rate of material deposition. This realization led to the acquisition of a prototype 3-cubic-meter printer and recycling system, which has since being continuously refined. Today, this advanced system is being used to produce a wide range of objects, including equipment for high-performance athletes, systems for environmental water management, and architecture.