Who could have imagined that a 3D printer could be created from discarded electronic equipments! With new models replacing old models of electronic equipments there is a vast quantity of e-waste that is piling up and until now there seemed no alternative to get rid of this junk.

Kodjo Afate Gnikou, a West African inventor has decided to utilize spare parts in order to create a cheap 3D printer. Kodjo made this printer using parts that he scrounged from broken scanners, computers, printers and other electronic waste. A few parts like the motor have been purchased but majority of the printer was built using repurposed local materials. The price of the printer is a fraction of those currently for sale on the market. He made the printer for only $100. The printer is named W.Afate and it is a replica of the Prusal Mendel which is a popular printer in US and Europe.

Kodjo says, “My dream is to give young people hope and to show that Africa, too, has its place on the global market when it comes to technology. We are able to create things. Why is Africa always lagging behind when it comes to technology? With this I want to put technology into needy hands and give Africa the opportunity to not only be a spectator but to play the first role in a more virtuous industrial revolution.”

This step taken by Kodjo will definitely solve the massive electronic waste problem which is being done in a huge sale near Ghana. Hundreds of tons of discarded computers and industrial equipments are dumped here every month which pollutes the soil and the environment.

Image Credit: Suzi Duke (flickr handle: suzijane)