A group of airmen at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico recently tested a new type of 3D printing setup, one that fits into a shipping container, operates off-grid, and converts plastic waste into useful tools and parts.
While the U.S. military has previously used 3D printing in remote places, this demonstration, led by re:3D and the Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO), focused on proving that recycled materials could be used on-site to create large, functional parts without relying on traditional power or supply chains.
Large-format print in progress on the Gigabot X system.
This initiative was part of a broader Air Force research effort exploring whether plastic waste collected on military bases could be used as raw material to 3D print new equipment. The system used in this trial combined a large-format Gigabot X printer with tools to shred and dry the plastic waste and print it into new items. All of it was housed in two shipping containers that were designed to be powered either by a generator or a wind turbine.
The goal was to see if waste generated on base, like discarded plastic packaging or even old 3D printed parts, could be reused in a self-contained mobile unit. 3DPrint.com spoke with the team behind the project, who stated that the system worked as planned, recycling plastic waste into usable parts directly on-site.
An airman holding up a drone frame successfully printed from recycled material.
From Waste to Drones
The project began with a waste survey at the Air Force Academy to identify common plastic materials found on base. This effort was part of a Phase I award under the Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which helps fund early-stage technology development. After proving that the plastic waste could be reused, the team secured a Phase II SBIR award to build the full mobile system, housed in two shipping containers that could process and 3D print with that waste directly on site. The containers were shipped to Cannon Air Force Base, where airmen were trained to use the equipment.
Sergeant Ryan Plumbo feeding discarded plastic into a shredder for recycling.
That’s where Sergeant Ryan Plumbo and his team stepped in. Working alongside re:3D and the Advanced Manufacturing Program Office (AMPO) at the RSO, the team ground up plastic parts, ran the material through a dryer, and fed it into the Gigabot X printer. One of the materials they recycled most often was PLA, the same plastic used in some drones previously 3D printed on base with filament printers. In a way, they were recycling 3D printed drones into new 3D printed drone frames.
After several rounds of trial and error, the team successfully printed a functioning drone frame made entirely from recycled material. At first, the drone was too heavy and hard to control, but later iterations flew all the way to the ceiling of the base gym. The final version was controllable and stable, even “after some rough landings.”
“We were able to retrofit the body we had printed and fly it,” said Sergeant Plumbo. “The second time, we could control it in a racquetball court. It was a huge success.”
Printing Other Tools on Base
Beyond the drone project, the team also printed smaller items like cable ties, drum wrenches, and wheel chocks for aircraft maintenance. One of the wrenches, made from recycled plastic, was tested on 55-gallon drums in the hydraulic back shop, which is the base’s maintenance area.
“It worked amazingly,” Plumbo said. “The plastic was sturdy enough that I could see it being put in a CTK [Composite Tool Kit] and used for years to come, just like a traditional tool off the shelf.”
Some of the prints were made on-site, while others were printed at re:3D’s facilities using the same plastic collected from the Air Force. In both cases, the focus was to demonstrate that common base waste could be recycled into strong, usable parts.
Another design tested during the project was a small interlocking structure developed by the Air Force Academy, intended to be buried in sand to help stabilize loose soil. These pieces are typically used to prevent erosion or reinforce terrain in areas with shifting ground. While only a small batch was printed for this demonstration, the parts served as a proof of concept for how 3D printing could be used in the field to support environmental applications, like erosion control.
Going Off the Grid
One of the key parts of the project was being able to print without needing to plug into a fixed power supply. The shipping containers could run on battery power, which was charged by either a generator or a wind turbine. The wind didn’t always work as they hoped, so the team mostly used the generator, which worked without any problems.
“We’ve shown that it can work,” said Samantha Snabes, co-founder of re:3D. “You can set up these containers anywhere, and they can support large-format printing from waste. The idea is to demonstrate what’s possible and continue that conversation with other groups who could benefit from this kind of setup.”
The Air Force and re:3D are now looking into how this setup could be used in other scenarios, like field operations or disaster relief. The goal is to 3D print in places without access to regular power or supplies, using plastic waste to make the parts and tools needed on-site.
Shipping container housing the mobile 3D printing setup at Cannon AFB.
Still Early, but Promising
Everyone involved agrees: the concept is working, but isn’t quite done yet. More testing is needed, especially when it comes to how different types of plastic waste behave during printing. Some plastics, like polyolefins, can be tricky to work with because they may have coatings or additives that affect how they melt and flow through the printer.
Recycled drone frame being printed on base.
There’s also the human side. Operating the Gigabot X printer from re:3D requires training, and not just in 3D printing, but also in shredding, drying, and designing parts. What’s more, to use the system without help, airmen need training and better ways to share information between bases.
“It’s definitely something we could scale,” concluded Plumbo. “But we need more practice, more research, and more people involved who know how to operate the system. Each base is different, so it takes time to figure out what models work best for their needs.”
For now, the project is a strong early example of how the military could reuse its own waste to make new things. But like Snabes says, “This is just the beginning.”
Images courtesy of re:3D/USAF