# Trash-Converting Bike Printers This Mobile 3D Printer Uses Plastic Cups as Printer Ink By Michael Baxter | Published 2014-04-18 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mobile-3d-printer References: [psfk](http://www.psfk.com/2014/04/plastic-cup-recycling-bike.html) & [fabraft](http://www.fabraft.com/) 3D printers started out big and bulky and like everything else in the tech world, have gotten smaller; this mobile 3D printer is the first of its kind, but certainly won't be the last. This 3D printer is housed inside of a bicycle and uses old plastic cups as ink. The machine still looks quite big but given the fact that it's being carried on a bike, it's light enough. The bike breaks down old plastic cups into a powder that is then used as ink. The ink is then turned into gear-shaped tokens that are used as bike spokes. This mobile 3D printer shows how 3D printers can be used in an ecologically conscious way. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.7/10 - Popularity: 68% | Activity: 64% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Mobile 3D Printing:** Using bicycles as a mobile platform for 3D printing leads to greater accessibility and portability. - **Eco-friendly Printing Materials:** Using waste materials like old plastic cups as printer ink presents opportunities for sustainable and environmentally friendly printing. - **Bike Components Printing:** Printing bike spokes directly from ink showcases the potential for 3D printers to disrupt traditional manufacturing processes in the bicycle industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **3D Printing:** Incorporating mobile 3D printers and innovative printing materials can drive advancements in the field of additive manufacturing. - **Sustainability:** Leveraging waste materials as printer ink contributes to the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing practices. - **Bicycle Manufacturing:** Adopting 3D printing technology to produce bike components can revolutionize the manufacturing and design processes within the bicycle industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Palm-Sized 3D Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/open-source-3d-printer.md) - [3D-Printed Filament Makers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/polyformer.md) - [Paper Waste Reduction Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/handheld-printer-concept.md) - [Plastic-Molding Benchtop Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/benchtop-injection-molding.md) - [Fully Recyclable 3D-Printed Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biohome3d.md) - [Recycled Printing Powders](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/atmix.md) - [3D-Printable Packaging Pastes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reishi-mushroom-printable-material.md) - [Chocolate Filament 3D Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cocoa-press-3d-printer.md) - [Freestyle Desktop Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dual-printer-device.md)