With the arrival of the 3D printer, there were lots of discussions regarding the 3D printer. Some of the people used to talk about the disadvantages of the 3d printer while the rest, most of the people always saw the bright side.
There are still some issues regarding 3D printing. It’s undoubtedly that there are lots of positive things that can be seen through 3D printing.
It can save lots of time, easy to handle, entrepreneurship, and the least time consumer to produce an item.
But, if you have a look at the things back very carefully, you will see that the 3D printer has done huge damage to some parts of the industries. Many job opportunities can be replaced with a 3D printer and it will be a threat to the workforce shortly. Technical knowledge requirement, rights, piracy of popular brands, and bluh bluh bluh. The most important thing above all factors has been almost forgotten. The toxicity of the 3D printer has not been a topic yet. Though there are not any harmful compounds being available in the designs created using a 3D printer, it doesn’t mean that the entire process is not a healthy one to the environment.
As you know this is just the rise of 3D printing. So, there will be many things available in the future. It can be said that the filaments can also carry hazardous compounds to the human as well.
Food and 3D printing
The food is one of the basic requirements for any living being. No one can survive without food. So, you have to be careful with the things that are being used for 3D printing.
They should never touch the foods you consume as it is still unknown the hazards of the toxicities. Like always, many things will be discovered later when it is too late you to know.
Food Safe 3D Printing is not an early topic to talk at present as most of the people are using 3D printers for their daily work.
There are many ways that the harmful compounds can touch the food you consume. You must be aware of those situations as well as get the necessary precautions against them as well. So, being aware of those toxication methods can keep you away from diseases as well.
It doesn’t matter though you use the 3D printer at home or the business place. If you are using a smaller 3D printer, you might think that it will create fewer troubles. Those are false myths. If there is a 3D printer at a place, that will cause trouble to you with food.
Here are a few things you should be informed of yourself if you are using a 3D printer. Following food safe 3d printing methods, using food safe PLA, are a few of the things that can keep you a healthier person.
But, it is still debatable just using is pla food safe?
- The bacteria build-up is a vital fact food-safe sealants can be used for the safety
- Filaments carry several chemicals
- Toxic particles in 3D printing
- The dishwasher is not safe
- Anti-Bacterial soap is a good option
- The nozzle is also vital
- Food safe extruders are safer
- Keep the food out of the business
The bacteria build-up is a vital factor
This is the very first thing you can do as a food-safe 3d printing method. Bacteria is the most common species that can create lots of trouble for you. Most of the diseases are caused by bacteria.
You have to be very careful about the bacteria is not only 3D printing but anything you do in day to day life.
Even if you are looking at a smoothest or a well-closed 3D printer, there can be several cracks through small windows you can’t even see. Bacteria can grow in those spaces and can bring you germs that can cause multiple diseases. If you are going to use the item created using the 3D printer for once that will not be a huge problem. If you intend to use it for several occasions, that will be a problem.
Food safe filaments can be used for the safety
The filament is considered as the major part than can create lots of hazards with its chemicals.
There are lots of chemicals in the filament. Those chemical reactions are still unknown and the consequences can be harsh to you in the future. It is already known about the adverse effects of the PLA filament and the application of PLA is already forbidden in some institutes.
If you can use a filament-like German RepRap’s PP Plastic and FormFutura’s HD glass (which is an ultra-transparent modified PETG) that thing will be friendly for your health.
So, it is always better to think about your health than thinking about cheap filaments that can create several negative impacts for you and your family. After doing this, is pla filament food safe to carry out your daily 3D printing? The answer is still no.
The chemicals that come with the filaments
Research had been conducted by the Illinois Institute of technology to identify the chemicals emitted by FDM and desktop 3D printers.
That particular research was conducted using ABS and PLA filaments. It was a known factor already that there are chemicals in the filaments. But, it was identified for furthermore that these 02 types of filaments can emit ultrafine particles (UFPs) as a reaction compound.
These are the best food-grade 3d printing materials in the market. These compounds can create severe inhaling disorders in high inhalation.
If you are a frequent user in 3D printing, you will have to take immediate action to avoid these hazardous chemical compounds.
If you cannot avoid the 3D printer, you will be able to use it in a well-ventilated environment to reduce the threat. Also, eat your lunch in another room. So, using food-grade 3d printer filament is always a good thing to do for your health.
The dishwasher is not safe
You can be a person that cleans all the things to have a better look and a tidy surface. But, you should know that the 3D printed objects are not containing that quality.
If you wash anything created by a 3d printer in the sink, it will create many deformations as well as warps and spread the germs all around. So, that is not a good thing to do. Also, there will be a probability to spread the chemicals with the water. So, you must always take care to avoid the contact of the 3D printed objects with water.
If you are using a dishwasher to clean those objects, that will be more dangerous as the heat can create more trouble than the water.
Antibacterial soap is a good option
There are lots of antibacterial soaps in the market that can be used to clean up yourself. If you feel like washing the printed objects using water, that will be possible to do with the 3d printer. But quality losses, as well as warps, can keep occurring with the time.
Anyway, this action can wipe out all the bacteria on the surface area. It doesn’t mean that all the bacteria can be washed away. If you get to use lukewarm water and a mild anti-bacterial detergent after every use, that will be a good thing to do for your health.
The nozzle is also vital
There are lots of parts that work when taking a 3D printer. The nozzle is such a part being used to take prints. If you look at this part of several 3D printers, you will realize that this part is made of several metals. Steel, aluminum, or brass are few of those metals that are being used to create the nozzle. If your 3D printer’s nozzle is created using lead, that will be the most adverse thing that can have happened. Because lead is a metal that can create lots of diseases to animals. Lead related industrial materials have been forbidden in some countries in the world because of this thing. You can avoid this thing by replacing that part immediately.
Food safe extruders are safer
There are the latest extruders that can be used according to the human-friendly standards as well.
Replacement of the hazardous extruders can prevent lots of chemical intake to your body. If you want to avoid the contamination from the extruder, you will have to use a stainless steel extruder for your 3D printer.
Because the decayed extruders can create lots of toxic spread. Not only that but also that kind of extruder can create warp designs with the time. So, that will be a good thing to do for your health as well as the 3D printer. Having a harmful extruder for your 3D printer can create food-safe 3d printing at stake
Keep the food out of the business
Lots of things can be done to prevent the contact of the food with the chemicals or bacteria in your 3D prints.
The most important thing is to keep the food away from the 3d printer. If you are a person who eats and works in the same space, that will be a call for an infection for sure.
Bacteria and germs can easily touch your food and enter your body within a short time. The more you stay with the food with an unwashed body the more you will be exposed to the germs for sure.
Also, you must not use any instruments to eat food as well. That is one more way that germs can enter your body. Knives, forks, plates, and anything related to eating, should not be used for the kitchen as well. That will be a good thing for your entire family as well. All these things together can create food-safe 3d printing methods eventually.
