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.