Researchers consider impact of 3D printing on indoor air quality

[HEXUS]

Over 200 VOCs, many which are irritants and carcinogens, are emitted by 3D printers.

Read more.

[iworrall]

This is why it has become common practice (especially when printing ABS) to place the printer in an enclosure, and vent it outdoors by running a vent pipe out a window.

[mark_a_scott]

and people think nothing of being exposed to Ozone from the office MFD

[DaMoot]

Meh...until they actually show numbers and what tests they did, this is still all just rumor and speculation. Either get the science out and PROVE that it's bad or shut up about the whole 3D particulate thing!

This article says FDM printers spew tons of ultrafine and fine particulate, so where's your proof? Come on, Hexus editor, where's your proof that they do? I can say for certain my 3D printer has never been covered by fine particulates. My filament has never been dusty. So where's the proof?

[DaMoot]

This is why it has become common practice (especially when printing ABS) to place the printer in an enclosure, and vent it outdoors by running a vent pipe out a window.

Typically it has nothing to do with "particulates", if they exist. It's usually that people are butthurt over the fact that ABS smells a little and they don't want to smell hot plastic in the room.

For ABS, enclosures are used to keep the environment HOT because ABS's middle name is "I love to warp". Venting an enclosed ABS printer would be about the worst thing you could do though unless you had a ton of auxiliary heating and a way to keep the air movement off of the print so it doesn't warp it even more.

[peterb]

Meh...until they actually show numbers and what tests they did, this is still all just rumor and speculation. Either get the science out and PROVE that it's bad or shut up about the whole 3D particulate thing!

This article says FDM printers spew tons of ultrafine and fine particulate, so where's your proof? Come on, Hexus editor, where's your proof that they do? I can say for certain my 3D printer has never been covered by fine particulates. My filament has never been dusty. So where's the proof?

By the time proof has been gathered, the damage may be done. What is the problem with taking simple precautions to minimise the risk to as low as reasonably practicable?

[DDY]

Meh...until they actually show numbers and what tests they did, this is still all just rumor and speculation. Either get the science out and PROVE that it's bad or shut up about the whole 3D particulate thing!

This article says FDM printers spew tons of ultrafine and fine particulate, so where's your proof? Come on, Hexus editor, where's your proof that they do? I can say for certain my 3D printer has never been covered by fine particulates. My filament has never been dusty. So where's the proof?

Certainly not rumour or speculation. There is a link in the Hexus article which leads to a Sci-Tech news article, here you may find links to two peer reviewed journal articles which provide, in my opinion, strong evidence that 3D printers do produce significant levels of aerosolised particulates;

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full...6.2017.1342029

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full...6.2018.1464115

Out of interest, how do you know that your 3D printer isn't covered by fine particulates? I mean, my 3D printer and the area around it is covered in dust which may or may not be 'regular' household dust - I have no means of distinguishing the two without some sophisticated equipment capable of resolving particles to the order of nanometres. What technique are you using to identify nanoparticles?

[preter_s]

Meh...until they actually show numbers and what tests they did, this is still all just rumor and speculation. Either get the science out and PROVE that it's bad or shut up about the whole 3D particulate thing!

This article says FDM printers spew tons of ultrafine and fine particulate, so where's your proof? Come on, Hexus editor, where's your proof that they do? I can say for certain my 3D printer has never been covered by fine particulates. My filament has never been dusty. So where's the proof?

Read the link or re-read the article (i.e. 200 plus chemicals? ) instead of ranting! Sheesh...

[DanceswithUnix]

For ABS, enclosures are used to keep the environment HOT because ABS's middle name is "I love to warp".

I haven't done ABS yet, but yeah my printer is in a small light diffuser photography tent to improve temperature stability and improve print quality. It is in the garage for worry over safety of the fumes, as well as for the noise.

It wouldn't surprise me if particles that small can pass through the material of the tent.

[Wrinkly]

Typically it has nothing to do with "particulates", if they exist. It's usually that people are butthurt over the fact that ABS smells a little and they don't want to smell hot plastic in the room.

There would be no smell without the "particulates"

[Ttaskmaster]

Do people 3D Print using only recycled plastic?
Can you recycle the stuff you print with, or do failed printings just get binned?

You know, since we're all about reducing plastic nowadays, and all that....

[mers]

I haven't got a 3D printer and can't envisage getting one to be honest, no use for it. I have a mono lazer , rarely used , only when I have a largish print run to warrant it.Most harmful thing I have is my inkjet , very harmful to my wallet with the price of cartridges. lol.

[DanceswithUnix]

Do people 3D Print using only recycled plastic?
Can you recycle the stuff you print with, or do failed printings just get binned?

You know, since we're all about reducing plastic nowadays, and all that....

Things that I print tend to have a long and useful life, it isn't like I would print a single use drinking straw so I think that side is OK.

You can get machines that grind up, dry and extrude plastic back into filament. I think they are about £300 so at £20 per kilo of new plastic you would have to get a lot of failed prints to make having one economically viable. If I knew more people with printers locally perhaps we could chip in to get one, but I don't throw that many duff prints away. Most of the plastic I chuck in the recycling box is PET which I have never tried printing with, but printer filaments are usually a modified type of PET to make them better and easier to print with so I'm not sure I could dip into the recycling bin to make my filaments.

Sadly eol/failed stuff does get binned. If I were to include a triangle badge in my latest design with "141 TPU" lettering I don't think the recycling center would be impressed to see something they can't deal with turn up.