When the pandemic hit, the supply chain broke. Not only was it hard to ship regular goods, but the global shipping network was also unable to equip workers with enough personal protective equipment to reduce the logjam. Around that time, 3D printing company Re:3D starting planning, not just how to provide face shields and other PPE, but how to skip some of those shipping problems altogether.
The Gigalab is the culmination of that project. With the Gigalab, Re:3D aims to provide everything needed to turn recyclable material, like water bottles or plastic cups, into useful goods. The setup includes three main components. A granulator shreds used plastic. Next, a drier removes excess moisture. Finally, the Gigabot X 3D printer … er, well, it prints objects. You also need some table space to do work, like cutting up plastic bottles.
Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
All of this fits inside a…
