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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)

#91

Post by auguzanellato »

Mountain_Skies wrote: post #73
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.

Enclosures aren't common on cheap bed slinger (the ones where the bed moves in the Y axis) because they would need to be much bigger than the print area. CoreXY machines are more likely to be sold with an enclosure.

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

#92

Post by auguzanellato »

Jemm wrote: post #77

Teflon often used in hot ends is not good when heated above a certain temperature. If you have a bird or very small mammal pet, be cautious.

That can easily be solved by replacing the heatbreak with an all metal one (<10$) or for an even better bimetal (usually copper+titanium) one (~20$ or so iirc).

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

#93

Post by dylan604 »

jrockway wrote: post #70
Symbiote wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When deciding whether to buy a resin printer, I found posts from teenagers, students etc who'd set up resin printers in bedrooms etc. "Oh, the fumes are no problem, I buy low-odour resin." Great, we'll see what happens when they spill some on the carpet. I'm sticking with FDM, and I take some measures to increase ventilation when I'm using that.

Resin printing is neat, but it's strictly in the "do you have a garage?" category for me. I do not have a garage, so I do not have a resin printer.

meh, just crack a window. if it's good enough to fool mom&dad that you're smoking in the room, it's gotta be good enough for expelling noxious gases like this too, right? /s

or the people that spray fragrance to cover up smells as if that's actually removing the issue rather than just covering it up. lighting a match wouldn't be a strong suggestion either ;-)

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

#94

Post by hooverd »

Brian_K_White wrote: post #61
hooverd wrote: post #13

The article is talking about FDM with PLA and ABS, but what a "commercial 3D printer" is basically meaningless. A ShapeWay's fancy MJF machines? A FormLab 2? Your Ender 3?

I think commercial in this case just means a product that a consumer can buy as an end user product, vs self made. The point of the distinction being that most such products, like your phone or electric toothbrush, have a lot of safety regulations almost like the food supply, where the entire store, every store, is a safe space where if you can even buy it, then it's safe for you to use at least as directed. I was go…

3D printer manufacturers could be more forthcoming about the risks associated with 3D printing. At least with FFF the mitigation is relatively easy.

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

#95

Post by dylan604 »

Mountain_Skies wrote: post #74
LarryMullins wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I just quit cooking with oil like that. I'm better off for having an open kitchen to be much less constrained and much more healthy. If you're refusing an open kitchen because you deep fry everything including the twinkies, i'd suggest you have larger issues!

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

#96

Post by hooverd »

Mountain_Skies wrote: post #73
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.

The Stratasys patent expired a couple years ago, thankfully.

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

#97

Post by tarotuser »

drakenot wrote: post #86
tarotuser wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

I have an Bambu X1 Carbon in my office and print sometimes. It has a glass enclosure and Carbon Filters, but I have no idea how effective they are. Any ideas if having this enclosed printer in my office is a real danger?

I'd trust your nose. If you can smell it printing, it means you're smelling the outgassing of unburnt and burnt plastics.

You could also get a pm10 and pm2.5 air quality monitor for a more scientific measurement. Gasses won't trigger those, depending on what they are.. I guess you could make a forced air device with 20 sensors in it, but nothing on the market is like that.

As for limited exposure, it's probably not too bad. But uncovered in bedroom... Whole different story.

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

#98

Post by asddubs »

iancmceachern wrote: post #88

Anytime you heat up plastic (melt it), or create a polymer from 2 parts (epoxy) there will be bad things released. This us fundamental to polymers. Check out all the urethane issues that early Disney imaganeers faced

do you have more info? I googled but didn't find anything relevant

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

#99

Post by asddubs »

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…

I know that if I print PLA and stay in the room, it will give me a headache after a while. And I can definitely smell it, so at least something is getting released into the air. I don't know if that actually means it's harmful, but I stopped staying in the same room if a printer is running.

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

#100

Post by alonmower »

I bought a combo laser cutter/3D printer a while back and ended up putting an enclosure around it and a dedicated dryer vent in my garage wall with a blower fan attached to it so the whole thing is at negative pressure. Few hundred dollars an a couple of hours of my life but I feel a lot more confident using it now.

I mostly did this because of the laser cutter (plywood can let out some horrible smells when cut), but it's nice to be able to do it for the 3D printer too. I know PLA is considered 'safe' but I figure better safe than sorry for these kinds of things. Hard to unwind damage that may take a long time to manifest.

The printer also has a CNC but I very quickly learned that I should _not_ run the blower fan when that's running. That was no fun to clean up.

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