EDITOR’S CHOICE
COntrOllIng Fume And dust emIssIOns In the Am/3d PrIntIng Industry
leading to additional costs, product delays and a disruption in customer relationships. So as manufacturers seek to serve established customers and target new markets, agility and reliability have become the hallmarks of diversification, but this cannot be at the expense of their obligations to workplace safety. In the case of filtration and atmosphere
A
management for rapidly expanding additive manufacturing (AM) processes, the sophisticated systems that control filtration, such as those developed by BOFA, will not only help maintain a healthy workplace, but also protect high value equipment from the build-up of debris that can impact product quality. It is already known that airborne
contaminants generated during 3D printing processes, including VAT polymerisation (VP) and fused filament fabrication (FFF), can be potentially harmful to human health. These are two main additive manufacturing processes and their output accounts for approximately 50 per cent of the total components produced in the AM industry. So, there is a pressing need for operators to ensure that any identified hazards are mitigated. A 3D print industry review into the particulate and gases emitted through these processes has
gility and automation are key to companies stepping up productivity – and this is particularly the case in the dynamic trading environment resulting from the pandemic and supply chain issues.
No business can afford unplanned downtime
just been published by BOFA, providing a knowledge base for investment systems that will provide effective atmosphere management. Studies covering 3D printer emissions have
typically found particles measuring between 10 and 100 nanometers in size. Testing has also highlighted a relationship between the temperature of the 3D printer nozzle (in the case of FFF) and the size and rates of particle emissions, which in turn can potentially impact health. FFF printers are also known to emit gases,
including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as styrene, acrylonitrile, butadiene and lactide. Some VOCs have strong odours, which is the reason why users of AM machines experience discomfort whilst printing certain materials. Exposure to these emissions has the potential to negatively impact on human health, with symptoms ranging from headaches, eye irritation and skin problems to occupational asthma. Particle size is also important as it affects
where in the respiratory system the particle can reach. In general, the smaller the particle, the further into the respiratory system it can penetrate and, therefore, the more potential harm it can do. Indeed, insoluble or low- solubility nanoparticles can end up in the bloodstream after passing through respiratory or gastrointestinal membranes. In addition, from a productivity
perspective, uncontrolled particulate can also negatively impact 3D printer efficiency and increase the risk of product contamination, with any prolonged release of sticky plastic droplets leading to a build- up of material on the machine’s moving parts, potentially causing reliability issues. “The message here is that whatever the
process, health and safety managers must evaluate the most effective means of capturing any potentially harmful emissions and filtering them appropriately,” says Ross Stoneham, product manager - 3DP & Growth Markets at BOFA International. “Businesses owe a legally enforceable duty of care to ensure operator safety, but there are also strong commercial reasons to invest in effective filtration and atmosphere management from a productivity perspective.” BOFA works closely with industry to ensure
the most effective filtration performance for any process and the precise design of each system will require in-depth analysis of many different variables to ensure correct mitigation of risk.
12 WInter 2021 | IndustrIAl COmPlIAnCe
Once armed with this information, BOFA
will use data-driven airflow analysis and control parameters to define the optimal filtration technology, which, depending on the process, will involve a combination of pre- filtration, a main High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and a layer of adsorbents to remove vapours and gases. The company is now at the forefront of
filtration system design for 3D printing, with a range of dedicated technologies that are just as portable, if not more so, as the 3D printer, that filter and capture particulate and fume – including nanoparticles – and return clean air into the environment. This is key in helping to ensure that no potentially harmful emissions enter the breathing zone of employees and that no debris builds-up on expensive machinery that can degrade high-value components and products. The current widespread adoption of faster
and higher-temperature 3D print systems for round-the-clock production lines, creates the conditions for greater potential health risks for operatives if emissions are not controlled. The company has recently redesigned its 3D
PrintPRO 4 technology to offer wider filtration airflow ranges and expanded filtration capacity, optimised for the emissions of industrial 3D printing processes, and will soon be launching a 3D PrintPRO HT unit for high temperature 3D print filtration.
BOFA International
bofainternational.com
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