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Plastic is a material with inherent affordance. However, the overuse of single-use plastic has transformed it into ubiquitous waste. Compounding the issue, the low recycling rate has diminished the materials' recovery potential, relegating it to waste and pollutants.
Although increasing the plastic recycling rate is crucial, extending the lifespan of recycled plastic products and parts represents a beneficial approach to reducing waste in the environment.
By exploring a more integral application of plastic in architecture, specifically within timber structures, a potential strategy is envisioned that seeks to integrate recycled thermoplastics into architectural applications to addresses the issue.
Given its malleability and ability to take on various forms, plasticity reveals potential in the remoulding process. The research leverages on the malleability of plastic based on the principles of injection moulding. The research aims to develop an adaptive assembly system. The system employs the method of injecting recycled thermoplastics into timber as joinery, offering an innovative solution to address environmental concerns.
Plastic is one of the primary material waste streams where recycling plays a significant role for its circular loop. In this project, recovered thermoplastics were mechanically recycled; sourced, sorted, cleaned, and granulated at local level.
Strength of recovered thermoplastic (HDPE/PP/PLA) joinery was tested using a Zwick/Roell Retroline tensile testing machine. Samples are fixed to the machine’s bottom gripper, gradually pulled upwards at a constant rate of displacement of 0.3mm/min.
Understanding the logic of injection moulding and its relationship with geometry and flow behaviour, parameters essential to achieve adaptable assembly method were identified. Multi-injected recovered polypropylene serves as a locator and fixing.
A Hass TM3 CNC machine was used as the main fabrication method. Subsequently, a handheld plastic injection moulder machine was used to locate and fix the joinery at designed angles.
Animation of ideal assembly process of adaptive injection joinery installation.