So I finally broke down and bought a few 3D printed items from Shapeways. Each of the items was printed in "WSF" (White, Strong & Flexible - and yes Mike, I am sure there is a joke in there somewhere.)
When the package arrived, I noticed that the items had a rough texture which I was expecting based on the images I'd seen online. What came more as a surprise to me however was just how much powder comes off at the slightest touch. Which leads me to a few questions for those in the 3D printing know:
1) Is this dusting an aftereffect of the printing process? I realize the pieces are formed via that very same dust plus some sort of glue, but are these items going to exfoliate printer powder the entire time I have them, or is it more of a coating from the process which once cleaned off, won't return?
2) Is this dusting harmful in anyway? I can't imagine that breathing any kind of plastic/petroleum-based dust could be good for you, but will we be reading in the news 30 years from now about how 3D printer dust was the "asbestos of the 21st century?" I know I'm overreacting, but I'm trying to decide if all of the superfine sanding I plan to do and painting should be done in my garage instead of the office in my home. Overall the detail is pretty impressive, the pieces are delicate (I ordered some aircraft miniatures) but strong for their thin size, and can be handled without breaking.
I can't wait for 3 or 4 generations of 3D printers from now where they can print in color, the "resolution" of the print job is so fine as to be almost invisible to the naked eye, etc etc.
The items I have from 3D printer don't have any dust, and some of them are very smooth and shiny--smooth like plexiglas, except not clear. One, is very reflective to light.
BTW, I keep posting this because it drives me crazy- the extruder on the newer makerbots are NOT user-servicable!!!! That's disgustingly cposed-source(and expensive!) 175 a pop! I heard about it awhile ago, it turned my stomach.
I just got an email about it this morning , they made it sound like that's a good thing...
Some of the newer ones have amazing print resolutions, almost mirror-finish. Mine can go down to .1 mm, it's nice. I think the ones MJ has are .2 or .4 ...
Z-Corp makes a line of machines that employ an "inkjet" style head that shoots a liquid binder into a powder media. It sounds from your description that this is how your parts were produced. I've had a number of these parts made for me in the past. They looked like they were made from children's Play-Doh clay. Compared to SLA or fused deposition machines, the resolution is poor and the surface finish is usually grainy. They do have a powder that rubs off for awhile unless they were covered with a finish coating. (I've even seen some use cyanoacrylate, a/k/a "super glue" to finish coat the entire part.) As far as toxicity, I don't know, but I don't recommend inhaling it.
Video of the process.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 01-15-2015).]
Z-Corp makes a line of machines that employ an "inkjet" style head that shoots a liquid binder into a powder media. It sounds from your description that this is how your parts were produced. I've had a number of these parts made for me in the past. They looked like they were made from children's Play-Doh clay. Compared to SLA or fused deposition machines, the resolution is poor and the surface finish is usually grainy. They do have a powder that rubs off for awhile unless they were covered with a finish coating. (I've even seen some use cyanoacrylate, a/k/a "super glue" to finish coat the entire part.) As far as toxicity, I don't know, but I don't recommend inhaling it.
Video of the process.
I agree that thus is probably what I've got. I wiped the excess dust from the table and will sand and paint in the garage with the door open and a mask.
So I finally broke down and bought a few 3D printed items from Shapeways. Each of the items was printed in "WSF"
We Stuck Flamberge
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but are these items going to exfoliate printer powder the entire time I have them
No, because something can exfoliate only if has if has cells, ie, is living tissue.
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I can't imagine that breathing any kind of plastic/petroleum-based dust could be good for you,
Good thinking
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I know I'm overreacting, but I'm trying to decide if all of the superfine sanding I plan to do and painting should be done in my garage instead of the office in my home.
I would. Maybe even wearing a surgical mask and with a fan blowing the dust away from me.
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Originally posted by PaulJK:
If it was printed in China, it probably IS asbestos (but the profit margin was good)
