Wonder from waste

The process begins with the shaping of a thin piece of wire made from nichrome – an alloy of nickel, chromium and other metals – that fits within the dimensions of a cuboid container.

Once the wire is inside, the box is filled with a mixture of pure silica sand and nylon powder left over from SLS. An electric current is passed through the wire, heating it to 500°C, which causes the powder to melt and fuse around the wire template.

‘We received over one tonne of waste materials for free and there is much more available,’ says Fabio Hendry of Studio Ilio. ‘It’s quite interesting to demonstrate the possibilities of this waste.’

The Big Picture: Designers are examining the untapped potential of waste by experimenting with new production techniques. Find out more in our Anti Materials design direction.