11 ms·

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? Yo

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?

esskay 4y ago
I'm not sure it matters too much from the context of the article. I took it to mean commercial = any purchased printers (vs a self build). The end results in terms of VOC's and other nastiness is going to be the same regardless as whilst 'high end' printers might be capable of higher temperatures you still print the same materials at the same temperatures regardless of printer.
Brian_K_White 4y ago
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 going to say "you can't drink antifreeze" as part of the "as directed" part, but they're even removing the classic ethylene glycol from that now. So they are attempting to suggest that consumer 3d printers are posing a safety danger on the general population by being equally available and equally marketed as any other consumer appliance like coffee makers. It's probably not completely wrong to say that people should not be led to believe that an fdm printer is as harmless as a coffee maker. They should still be acvailable, just treated more as tools with a few different safety and toxicity considerations. Like how anyone can still buy a gas weed trimmer (until they ban them) but it's clear that it is not to be used indoors because it generates toxic exhaust, nor used by small kids or unsupervised because of the business end, the gas, etc.
- hooverd 4y ago
  3D printer manufacturers could be more forthcoming about the risks associated with 3D printing. At least with FFF the mitigation is relatively easy.

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?

esskay 4y ago

I'm not sure it matters too much from the context of the article. I took it to mean commercial = any purchased printers (vs a self build). The end results in terms of VOC's and other nastiness is going to be the same regardless as whilst 'high end' printers might be capable of higher temperatures you still print the same materials at the same temperatures regardless of printer.

Brian_K_White 4y ago

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 going to say "you can't drink antifreeze" as part of the "as directed" part, but they're even removing the classic ethylene glycol from that now. So they are attempting to suggest that consumer 3d printers are posing a safety danger on the general population by being equally available and equally marketed as any other consumer appliance like coffee makers. It's probably not completely wrong to say that people should not be led to believe that an fdm printer is as harmless as a coffee maker. They should still be acvailable, just treated more as tools with a few different safety and toxicity considerations. Like how anyone can still buy a gas weed trimmer (until they ban them) but it's clear that it is not to be used indoors because it generates toxic exhaust, nor used by small kids or unsupervised because of the business end, the gas, etc.

hooverd 4y ago
3D printer manufacturers could be more forthcoming about the risks associated with 3D printing. At least with FFF the mitigation is relatively easy.