Improved efficiency and expanded polymers range of ReDeTec MixFlow technology

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Industrial partner ReDetec has developed an innovative platform for polymer extrusion and recyclying called ProtoCycler+. The primary function of ProtoCycler+ is to extrude and spool polymers for 3D printers. ProtoCycler+ is currently a laboratory desktop extruder but the underlying extrusion technology holds enormous potential for the engineering, medical, and industrial sectors. The secondary function of ProtoCycler+ is to enable the business and education markets to recycle their 3D printed waste into usable filaments, thus saving costs and diverting plastic away from landfills. ProtoCycler+ used a patented extrusion technology called "MixFlow". ReDeTec's proprietary MixFlow technology is innovative with significant implications for increased energy efficiency in the polymer extrusion industry. This technology be retrofitted into existing extrusion systems and is scalable to an industrial level. While MixFlow technology is highly-efficient, it is a very new technology that has not reached the same level of maturity as competing technologies. This results in a number of temporary drawbacks the ReDeTec team is currently focused on solving. Chief among these is the limited range of polymers that the ProtoCycler+ currently extrudes. This hinders the machine's potential and, as a result, limits the company's expansion. The aim of this NSERC-Engage project is to solve these issues, and provide ReDeTec with a state - of- the-art extrusion system capable of producing materials with improved quality. This project will allow ReDeTec to develop and manufacture improved extrusion system and expand its business within Canada. In the long-term, ReDeTec will be able to develop a new generation of materials from recycled plastics/polymers which will be potentially used in many industries, including 3D printing. Furthermore, the extrusion of recycled plastic will result in a better control of green house emissions. This project will directly train two graduate students at Ryerson on Design, modeling, and manufacturing. These graduate students will benefit from regular a multidisciplinary training at ReDeTec and direct involvement with their technical staff.