Anakin
An entity aimed at re-materializing waste into a resource for additive manufacturing.
Timeline
September - November, 2019
Role
Individual Project
BDes, Dubai Institute of Design & Innovation
Mentored by
Dr.Raffi Tchakerian
Process
Conceptualization, Coding, Electronics, Fabrication, Working Prototype, Technical Drawings
Rethinking waste as material
Framed within a 2050-focused design brief, this project responds to waste as a growing global challenge. It repositions waste as a resource, exploring how discarded materials can be reprocessed for additive manufacturing.
The growing waste problem
We generate massive amounts of waste each year, yet only a small portion is effectively recycled. Current systems struggle to keep up, leaving most material underutilized.
A gap in the system
Recycling remains inefficient and dependent on user behavior. This raises a question, can waste be directly converted into a usable resource at the point of disposal?
From waste to fabrication
Anakin proposes a system that converts waste into usable material for 3D printing by turning disposal into a continuous production loop.
This system creates a direct, incentivized link between what is discarded and what is produced, encouraging more thoughtful participation by humans in waste management.
A closed material loop
Waste is collected, processed into particulate form, and combined with a binding agent. The mixture is extruded into filament and used for additive manufacturing.
Use → Collect → Process → Re-materialize
A four-step system that transforms everyday waste into new objects, infrastructure, or materials.
Material transformation system
Waste is broken down into fine particles and reconstituted through extrusion, enabling it to function as a printable material.
Translating the system into form
Defining how waste flows through the system, is collected by the entity and repurposed. The process included mapping structure, movement, and material transformation into a single cohesive build.
Refining key mechanisms
Early prototypes,CAD models, mechanical tests, and form studies were used to improve how the system moves, processes material, and assembles together.
Testing the riser mechanism
Early scissor linkage prototype revealed structural limits and informed later iterations.
Mapping the riser system
CAD layout defines components and motion of the motorized linkage.
Testing the linkage structure
A 3D printed prototype validates the motorized riser mechanism.
Designing the enclosure
Final CAD integrates structure and a material chamber for mixing and extrusion.
Developing the extrusion system
An Archimedean screw mechanism combines particulate and binder into a printable flow.
Fabricating key components
Mechanical parts are produced through 3D printing for assembly and testing.
Assembling Anakin
Final prototype is assembled and tested as a complete working unit.
Anakin as a working system
A prototype that brings together waste processing, material extrusion, and structural movement into a single integrated form.
Dual-action extrusion system
A single servo-driven gear system combines particulate material and binder while simultaneously extruding the mixture through a compressed nozzle to form the material.
Controlled riser mechanism
A scissor-based riser linkage translates rotational motion into stable vertical movement, allowing the system to incrementally raise the extrusion point and deposit material layer by layer.
Material intake chamber
An angled enclosure funnels particulate into the binding chamber, supported by 3D-printed pillars that keep the structure light while maintaining balance and stability.
Anakin
Designing for a zero-waste future
Anakin was built to rethink waste as a usable material, transforming disposal into a continuous process of making. It demonstrates how decentralized systems can convert discarded matter into new products, while prompting a future where waste is no longer an endpoint, but part of an ongoing material cycle.
