AAAR 35th Annual Conference October 17 - October 21, 2016 Oregon Convention Center Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Aerosol Emissions of 3d Printers in a Chamber Study and Real Indoor Environments
MARINA VANCE, Valerie Pegues, Schuyler Van Montfrans, Andrea Tiwari, Linsey Marr, University of Colorado Boulder
Abstract Number: 716 Working Group: Indoor Aerosols
Abstract Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is a growing field with vast applications ranging from high-precision industrial manufacturing to hobbyist projects. As the popularity of 3D printing grows, printers become more affordable and are expected to become a ubiquitous office equipment. Fuse-deposition modeling (FDM) is the most common 3D printing method, especially in low-end printers. The heating and extrusion of polymeric feedstocks may generate ultrafine, or nanoscale aerosols due to chemical vapor deposition. Little in-depth research has been conducted on 3D printers’ airborne nanoparticle emissions and associated risks. The objective of this work is to measure the size distribution and concentration of ultrafine aerosols emitted as an incidental byproduct of the operation of FDM 3D printers using different feedstock materials (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, ABS and polylactic acid, PLA) in a chamber study and also under real-use conditions in different indoor environments. Preliminary results have shown a significant increase in the concentration of airborne particles ranging from 10 to 300 nm in aerodynamic diameter above background levels in 6 different indoor environments.