Local 3D printing and its ecological aspect

Benefits of 3D printing and associated problems.

Material waste is a major problem in the manufacturing industry. Yet 3D printing proves to be more environmentally friendly than conventional manufacturing. If your product does not require additional material when printed, the FDM machine has negligible waste. 

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Thus, the 3D printer can produce hollow pieces, which saves material. You may be surprised to learn that an FDM printer can produce more than 90% of the hollow part, requiring less material and energy.

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Thus, one of the main advantages of 3D printing is the manufacture of lightweight objects. Think how much fuel you would save if you made a car or an airplane lighter. 

Thanks to the innovation of 3D printing, you can quickly prototype complex shapes such as windmills, cars or furniture. These 3d objects are created in miniature format. Then they are printed with a volume infill of up to 10%. This not only speeds up the production time but also reduces the power consumption of the machines.

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3D printers can make different objects without the need for major changes to the configuration of the machine. Unlike machines where the equipment and setup or configuration must be adjusted to produce different parts, the 3D printer makes the production process flexible. 

Anything can be made into a 3D model with a 3D printer. This would reduce the need to move manufactured items from one location to another in the future. 

That, in turn, lowers transportation costs and associated pollution.

3D printing uses a significant amount of recyclable materials such as PLA or PET. The technology of 3D printing has improved over the years, making it easier to reconstruct 3D objects with greater accuracy.

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Disadvantages of 3D printing

Compared to CNC or other manufacturing machines, 3D printers for metal parts require a large amount of energy. The blasting or heat technology used to join materials together requires a lot of energy and can have a significant impact on the environment, especially in countries where fossil fuels are used to generate energy.

Another harmful consequence of 3D printing is caused directly by the machine. According to studies, small pieces of plastic and other toxic chemicals are released into the atmosphere during printing, and breathing them in is not a smart option. Asthma and other respiratory problems can worsen, and most of these pollutants have been proven to be harmful to everyone.

Conclusion

Innovation in 3D printing is rapid, and we can expect dozens of new materials to become available for 3D printing, such as plastic, clay, cement, and so on. 

Experts in 3D printing have also considered using biodegradable plastic, which requires less thermal energy to dissolve and can greatly reduce the cost and side effects of 3D printers. 

Several attempts have been made to use wood products as a permanent bond that requires less energy than burning plastic. With technologies such as Solar Sinter, which uses renewable electricity to melt grit into glass, 3D printing is expected to have become more environmentally friendly.

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg and make 3D printing more environmentally friendly. Given the current pattern of technological progress within 3D printing, we can expect 3D printers in the future to run on renewable energy to reduce the negative impact on the environment.