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Commercial 3D printers emit traces of toxic fumes, study finds (2019)

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Re: Commercial 3D printers emit traces of toxic fumes, study finds (2019)

#71

Post by prova_modena »

LarryMullins wrote: post #64
Throwaway045814 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You mean the recently highlighted issue of gas stoves, or do you mean something that affects electrical stoves as well?

In kitchens where lots of frying is done, the whole place eventually gets coated in a thin layer of oil, even the parts no person could normally reach. Aerosolized or vaporized cooking oil, condensing on everything. I doubt working in a kitchen like that is good for your lungs in the long term.

I just changed a filter in my air purifier after having it next to the kitchen for about 6 months. The prefilter was covered in a layer of cooking oil mixed with dust. The built in air quality monitor always shows poor air quality wheen cooking. Its no joke, especially in places that have poorly constructed/cheap stove ventilation.

Re: Commercial 3D printers emit traces of toxic fumes, study finds (2019)

#72

Post by tarotuser »

Scene_Cast2 wrote: post #60
tarotuser wrote: post #28

This is NOT new news. Same discussion, from 2015 - https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/toxic-abs-pla-fumes-3dsa... And in 3d printing groups, it was common to hear people say "ABS smells like cancer". Sure, anecdotes aren't evidence proper, but the science certainly bears this claim. Edit: And to add my own anecdote, I have a large format high temp printer. It is capable of printing stuff like ultem (375c tip, 220c b…

Any tips or pointers on activated carbon air filters? How do you monitor the filter capacity and know when to change it? (Especially since based on my online reading, carbon filters, unlike PM filters, just start letting VOCs through as opposed to "clogging up")

If you can get them into a shed or an outbuilding, that's 99.9% of the problem solved.

You can also enclose the printer. For example, the ender3 pro has a box bag that you can put the printer in. Solves the problem.

My custom printer has the activated carbon airfilter/fan. Its probably overboard, but I did have that in my workspace for a while, so it was worthwhile for the time. I have no good metric when the filters should be replaced... I don't know any way to monitor particulate load in a filter.

Re: Commercial 3D printers emit traces of toxic fumes, study finds (2019)

#73

Post by Mountain_Skies »

bobbywilson0 wrote: post #52

I recently purchased a 3d printer, and I looked for articles talking about the risks associated with PLA fumes. This article[1] seems to be popularly cited, which includes the statement "PLA doesn’t look like a problem." I think this is what in my experience has been largely the sentiment when I have asked around, and read forum posts about the topic. At my local library there is a makerlab space, they are free to us…

IIRC, enclosures aren't common on consumer models because there's a patent on that design. Not sure if the patent has expired or not but with the trend already in motion, consumers are accustomed to open air printers. Printing the parts for an enclosure is also a good way to break in a new printer.

Re: Commercial 3D printers emit traces of toxic fumes, study finds (2019)

#74

Post by Mountain_Skies »

LarryMullins wrote: post #64
Throwaway045814 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You mean the recently highlighted issue of gas stoves, or do you mean something that affects electrical stoves as well?

In kitchens where lots of frying is done, the whole place eventually gets coated in a thin layer of oil, even the parts no person could normally reach. Aerosolized or vaporized cooking oil, condensing on everything. I doubt working in a kitchen like that is good for your lungs in the long term.

That's yet another reason why I hate the trend of the last thirty years or so to open kitchens, but I'm in the minority so I have to look for older houses that haven't had a clumsy renovation to an open floorplan if I want an enclosed kitchen.

Re: Commercial 3D printers emit traces of toxic fumes, study finds (2019)

#75

Post by Symbiote »

LarryMullins wrote: post #59

The smell of these things just screams cancer-death. When your senses are throwing up such powerful red flags, it pays to heed those warnings.

PLA printing smells slightly of burnt sugar/grain, and is the usual material for hobby use, schools etc.

ABS printing smells of burning plastic / a tyre fire (styrene), and shouldn't be done without plenty of ventilation etc.

Re: Commercial 3D printers emit traces of toxic fumes, study finds (2019)

#78

Post by evan_ »

nick__m wrote: post #44
fasthands9 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do feel like we dont really have sense of effects of particulate matter on the body. How does the risk of this compare to walking down a street with lots or running ICE cars? Or when you go into a basement and can smell the natural gas burning - is that a similar risk? If you told me being in the same room as a PLA printer was 10x worse I would believe it. If you told me being next to a car for 5 seconds was 10x wo…

In "ICE cars" the biggest sources of particulate matter are the tires and brakes¹, don't electric car have those too ? 1) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317425487/figure/fi...

Tires yes, but since EVs use regenerative braking at least some of the time I would think they'd be slightly better in that regard. Regenerative braking does not engage the brake pads.

Re: Commercial 3D printers emit traces of toxic fumes, study finds (2019)

#79

Post by hsglch »

I wrote a review article summarising studies about emissions during 3D printing: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119501 (Should be open-access soon)

Basically you can say: - Small particles and gaseous (Volatile organic compound - VOCs) are emitted during 3D printing - these emissions can be harmful if inhaled - higher temperature results in higher emission - ABS probably more harmful than PLA

--> recommendation: - print in separated, ventilated room

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