G'Reee'n Chair Developed in SolidWorks Uses Recycled Video Game Plastic

By DE Editors

Dassault Systèmes’ SolidWorks Corp. (DS SolidWorks; (Concord, MA) announced a small U.K. company is using SolidWorks 3D CAD and SolidWorks Simulation design validation software to develop a stackable chair made from video game consoles. Aiming to put a dent in the millions of tons of plastic waste generated every year, the Reee chair incorporates the plastic from nine video game consoles and is the first chair of its kind in the U.K. to use 100 percent recycled plastic from a single source. Every chair prevents 2.4 kilograms of plastic from entering the landfill.

Designed and manufactured in the U.K., the Reee chair is at the forefront of compliance with the European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, which makes proper disposal of WEEE materials the responsibility of manufacturers. To develop the eco-friendly chair that is ergonomic, affordable for commercial, education, and domestic markets, and made from 100 percent recycled plastic from PlayStation2 games console casings, Sprout Design Ltd. (London, UK) used SolidWorks’ SimulationXpress to ensure the chair would be strong enough to support sitters without over-engineering the amount of plastic in the seat’s ribs, reinforcing the sustainable design theme.

For more information, visit SolidWorks Corp., a Dassault Systèmes S.A. subsidiary.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.