Author Topic: 3D Printing Is Great, But A New Study Says It Could Kill You  (Read 2815 times)

Offline Coastal Ron

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I had been hearing rumblings about this, and now there is an article about it:

3D printers emit microparticles that can embed in your lungs - Fast Company

Quote
Four years of research shows that 3D printers emit hazardous microparticles–which can embed themselves in your lungs forever.

If you have a 3D printer, you need to make sure it’s in a well-ventilated area–and maybe keep it out of a child’s room–because across the board, 3D printers release tiny, undetectable materials that could be toxic and embed themselves into your body permanently.

Well this sucks. More proof that just because something is new doesn't mean that it's harmless. This may be along the lines of finding out that microbeads in personal care products leech out into the environment and into the guts of animals - some of which we eat.

For 3D printers, hopefully this problem can be mitigated by just adding better filters on the machines, and maybe adding wearable filters for the operators. Because 3D printing itself has started to become an indispensable capability.

Thought?
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Offline Markstark

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3D Printing Is Great, But A New Study Says It Could Kill You
« Reply #1 on: 11/21/2018 02:23 am »
This is unfortunate but I’m glad researchers are looking into this. This data may allow printer manufacturers and filament suppliers to adjust their materials and processes to make it safer for general use. If that’s not feasible, then at the very least some recommendations will come of it (ventilation, ppe, etc)

I wonder if the hazard is effected (worsen or relieved) by in space use cases such as the work taking place in the ISS.

Edit: I’m kind of glad I haven’t pulled the trigger on one for my home use yet. We use Dimension printers at work extensively but I’d like to have one at home some day.
« Last Edit: 11/21/2018 01:05 pm by Markstark »

Offline Robotbeat

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I had been hearing rumblings about this, and now there is an article about it:

3D printers emit microparticles that can embed in your lungs - Fast Company

Quote
Four years of research shows that 3D printers emit hazardous microparticles–which can embed themselves in your lungs forever.

If you have a 3D printer, you need to make sure it’s in a well-ventilated area–and maybe keep it out of a child’s room–because across the board, 3D printers release tiny, undetectable materials that could be toxic and embed themselves into your body permanently.

Well this sucks. More proof that just because something is new doesn't mean that it's harmless. This may be along the lines of finding out that microbeads in personal care products leech out into the environment and into the guts of animals - some of which we eat.

For 3D printers, hopefully this problem can be mitigated by just adding better filters on the machines, and maybe adding wearable filters for the operators. Because 3D printing itself has started to become an indispensable capability.

Thought?

Headline is irresponsible and idiotic. I read about this study when it came out.

Literally the same thing happens with cooking or driving in traffic.
Chris  Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

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Offline Markstark

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I had been hearing rumblings about this, and now there is an article about it:

3D printers emit microparticles that can embed in your lungs - Fast Company

Quote
Four years of research shows that 3D printers emit hazardous microparticles–which can embed themselves in your lungs forever.

If you have a 3D printer, you need to make sure it’s in a well-ventilated area–and maybe keep it out of a child’s room–because across the board, 3D printers release tiny, undetectable materials that could be toxic and embed themselves into your body permanently.

Well this sucks. More proof that just because something is new doesn't mean that it's harmless. This may be along the lines of finding out that microbeads in personal care products leech out into the environment and into the guts of animals - some of which we eat.

For 3D printers, hopefully this problem can be mitigated by just adding better filters on the machines, and maybe adding wearable filters for the operators. Because 3D printing itself has started to become an indispensable capability.

Thought?

Headline is irresponsible and idiotic. I read about this study when it came out.

Literally the same thing happens with cooking or driving in traffic.

I just skimmed the paper and you’re right (it’s a short read actually and they even have it audio which is kinda cool). The headline is drawing a lot of conclusions that the study doesn’t. Particularly the “killing you” part.



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Offline sanman

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Well this sucks. More proof that just because something is new doesn't mean that it's harmless. This may be along the lines of finding out that microbeads in personal care products leech out into the environment and into the guts of animals - some of which we eat.

For 3D printers, hopefully this problem can be mitigated by just adding better filters on the machines, and maybe adding wearable filters for the operators. Because 3D printing itself has started to become an indispensable capability.

Thought?

Well, 3D printers have been portrayed as a godsend for space colonies, to minimize the overhead for manufacturing. Perhaps they'll be comparatively less hazardous in an off-world environment, like on the Moon, or Mars, etc.

You could argue that other forms of manufacturing like milling machines and lathes could also generate micro-particles.
I remember reading way back that Carbon Nanotubes could become the new asbestos, after they were shown to cause brain damage in fish. Here's a more recent link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5635148/

Unfortunately, it seems like nearly everything has some downside associated with it.

Offline Robotbeat

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They aren't hazardous.
Chris  Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services capabilities of United States commercial providers. US law http://goo.gl/YZYNt0

Offline Eric Hedman

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They aren't hazardous.
I don't know.  If someone picks one up and throws it at you fast enough, I could see how it could be hazardous. ;) ;D

There is nothing that can't be (I love the occasional double negative) hazardous in some way.  Headlines get people to read so they are often full of hyperbole.  That is way too common everywhere now.

Online edzieba

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On top of the clickbait nonsense in the title, this study applies to only one very specific variety of 3D printers: plastic Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) machines. There are all sorts of other plastic additive manufacturing processes (like powder-bed with binders, powder-bed with sintering, multiple varieties of resin-cure, etc) along with a whole host of additive manufacturing methods for metals, concrete, etc.

Offline Pete

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OF COURSE! 3D printing can kill you.

item 1: please reference 3d-printed gun.

also, most 3d printers are heavy, if you drop one on your head, it could be damaged.

seriously... you have a device that heats materials. So of course it emits micro-particles.
So does your toaster. and your electric hair-curler. and your led lights. and your cellphone charger. and,and,and....

Give us quantities, and materials, and particle sizes, and estimates of health impact of these, *before* making claims that They Could Kill You.

Offline Dr_Zinj

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Not much difference in hazardness than the powdered plastic toner used in laser printers.

Offline Hog

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Not much difference in hazardness than the powdered plastic toner used in laser printers.
Nevermind the plastic toner, what about the LASER part itself?  LASERs can be very hazardous, even the checkouts at the supermarkets have warnings not to look at the LASER that reads the UPC labels. I admit, I looked at the LASER.

Like any new technology there will be unforseen pros and cons.  My Mom and my Uncles were all fitted for new shoes as children using X-rays at the shoe stores, the machine was called the "Pedoscope".  Fortunately lessons were learned and the Pedoscope is no longer used and we now know that X-ray exposure times of an hour or more are not conducive to healthy living.
Paul

Offline aceshigh

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we should go with TORPOR and then put double the amount of humans on the trip to Mars, making prices fall in half.

Offline Ithirahad

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There is nothing that can't be (I love the occasional double negative) hazardous in some way.

Actually, I beg to differ. Nothing can be quite hazardous if your body happens to be designed to be surrounded by something that provides pressure at all times. As such, no, there isn't nothing that can't be hazardous, as any volume of nothing is always potentially hazardous.

In any case, perhaps the topic title should be changed to not reflect the clickbait nature of the news article? This is good info, but let's not circulate crappy statements like this around.

Offline Dr_Zinj

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Not much difference in hazardness than the powdered plastic toner used in laser printers.
Nevermind the plastic toner, what about the LASER part itself?  LASERs can be very hazardous, even the checkouts at the supermarkets have warnings not to look at the LASER that reads the UPC labels. I admit, I looked at the LASER.
...

Considering the vast number of checkout clerks constantly exposed to the laser readers, and the absolute dearth of reported patients or workman's compensation complaints, I suspect that that is a complete non-issue.

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