3DP bio-plastics

Team: 7

Team members: Lennart Delporte, Jenthe Mommerency, Michiel Vandenborre

Coach: Louise Dumon, Louise.Dumon@UGent.be + Dimitri Strybos, dimitri@glimps.bio (GLIMPS) + UGent (Francesca)



Challenge: Clay 3D printers open up new opportunities, as for example the experimentation with new bio-based materials. The same applies for traditional printers, where a multitude of bio-based options are emerging. Nevertheless, many challenges remain open, for example:

  • Can we print these materials with the Stone Flower 3DP at IDC?

  • How should the material be made, conserved, discarded?

  • Can we find interesting industrial alternatives for bio-based materials (filament and/or powder)?

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of this material? Design applications?

  • How can we engage different stakeholders and actors in this mission? How can we make this a self-sustainable system?

  • ...


Starter kit includes:

  1. 500 gr coffee ground (already treated)

  2. glycerol

  3. agar agar

  4. PLA filament with coffee ground, to be delivered later on


Infrastructure needed:

  • Stone Flower 3DP (BioFabLab at IDC)

  • Desktop FDM printes

  • Pots and small utensils

  • Drier (composite lab at IDC)


Specific sources: