Could the Work Activity Cause Exposures When 3D Printing? What is the Likelihood of Exposure?

views, Updated: 2021-09-21

3D printing is a technology based on the digital model file, which uses adhesive materials such as powder metal or plastic to construct objects by layer printing. It can be used in automobile, aerospace, medical, and other fields.

 

Although 3D printing is good, we still need to pay attention to it. Improper operation is likely to cause potential physical injury to our operators. For example, breathing or skin contact with flammable organic chemicals (VOCs), microparticles (printed), and other chemicals (after printing) could be dangerous.

 

So when 3D printing, work activities cause the exposure of organic chemicals and particles? Of course. Here, we list 17 potential exposures during pre-printing, printing, post-printing, maintenance, and cleaning. Further details are as follows:

8 Higher Potential for Exposures:

 

Pre-printing

• Cleaning printer heads/nozzles

• Heating nozzles

 

Printing

• Using printer in the general office work area

• Working near the printer

• Going to the printer quickly after print failures and during start-up

Post-printing

• Removing support structures with solvents or other chemicals

• Post-processing activities with filaments containing nanomaterials

 

Maintenance and Cleaning

• Cleaning printer head/build plate with solvents

9 Lower potential for exposures:

 

Pre-printing

• Loading filament into the printer

• Changing printer heads/nozzles

• Prepping build plate

 

Printing

• Using video monitoring

 

Post-printing

• Removing part and changing filaments

• Scraping build plate with tools

Maintenance and Cleaning

• Changing filament

• Collecting ISTE

• Housekeeping