COMPOSITES
SA entrepreneur uses 3D printing
to help save the planet, one cup at a time
Using 3D printing technology, Red Cup Village started by creating biodegradable drinking cups using polylactide (PLA) filament – a biodegradable polyester derived from sugarcane and corn starch.
Biodegradable drinking cups using PLA filament AS AN entrepreneur, hobbyist, 3D printing enthusiast, and inventor, Luvuyo Ndiki (30) is the man behind Red Cup Village, a lifestyle brand dedicated to producing high quality and innovative products that help its users make a difference in society. Ndiki established Red Cup Village in 2014 with a vision to become a leading disruptive 3D printing and 3D scanning company through innovative concepts and premium products. And this vision is steadily coming to fruition thanks to the hard work and dedication of the talented Ndiki and his creative and forwardthinking team. Using 3D printing technology, Red Cup Village started by creating biodegradable drinking cups using polylactide (PLA) filament – a biodegradable polyester derived from sugarcane and corn starch. Born in Butterworth and raised in Bathhurst, Ndiki says the idea to start the business struck him while studying Design Foundation at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in 2010.
where we are today – specialists in “The Design Foundation gave me manufacturing on-demand consumer a wide view of the design disciplines, products and medical devices from architecture, interior design, using 3D printing and scanning graphic design, product design, technology in combination surface design and fashion Using with material science. Our design. I majored in 3D printing, platform allows users to product design, known construct personalised as 3D dimensional Red Cup created functional parts and design, in 2011, but biodegradable drinking products in a matter could not complete cups using polylactide of hours, faster than the course due to (PLA) filament – traditional manufacturing financial constraints. derived from processes, using However, I was sugarcane & corn biodegradable raw material determined to graduate, starch derived from corn-starch, so I enrolled in Public sugarcane and recycled Relation Management, which I plastics,” he explains. completed in 2014,” says Ndiki. The Red Cup Village 3D printing While studying public relations, Ndiki farm currently holds over 117 highcontinued to self-teach himself 3D performance industrial and commercial dimensional design and 3D printing 3D printers with the capacity for technology. mass volume customisation and “I fell in love with 3D printing and personalisation. established Red Cup Village with the idea to make world-class 3D printing Inspired by Africa and scanning accessible to individuals, Ndiki recalls how Red Cup Village was organisations and start-ups across inspired by his grandmother’s story various sectors. about an immensely enlightened African “It has been a long journey to
Hexcel showcases carbon fibre prepreg capability for UAV applications THE successful maiden flight of a lightweight camera drone, developed using Hexcel HexPly® carbon fibre prepregs, has highlighted the capability of carbon fibre prepregs for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) applications. The composite drone was developed by a team of students from 36 OCT / NOV 2021
the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in Wels with composite materials supplied by Hexcel Neumarkt in Austria. A team of six students in the university’s lightweight construction and composite materials course was responsible for the complete design, engineering, and
manufacture of the camera drone over a period of 18 months. Hexcel materials and optimization of the composite engineering enabled the team to reduce the composite structural mass by an impressive 42% compared to similar drones. Hexcel Neumarkt was one of eight
