Your 3D printer is a tool and, like similar equipment, it needs to be treated with respect. Even though printing is mostly safe, you can seriously harm yourself and those around you if you do it wrong.
Here are six things to be mindful of if you don’t want to get hurt.
Mistakes can be costly when working on finished prints
Slow down there, champ
Some 3D prints require a bit more work once they’ve come off the print bed. This can include removing support structures and brims or tidying up stringing. While flush cutters are an essential tool for support removal, you might find yourself grabbing a craft knife a lot of the time too.
Applying pressure with a knife or clipping a support can cause sharp bits of plastic to fly off in all directions. Protective safety glasses are a good investment for your printing area. On top of this, make sure that your craft knives are sharp (since sharper blades require less pressure) and that you always cut away from yourself.
This might seem like obvious stuff, and it is, but you’d be forgiven for getting a bit too excited and not taking proper precautions when retrieving your latest object from the print bed.
3D printer burns are no joke
No touchies
It’s common for 3D printer nozzle temperatures to reach temperatures of 300ºC (570ºF) on standard consumer-grade printers, and even more on higher-end models. Even when working with common PLA, your nozzle will be somewhere in the region of 200ºC (390ºF). You should develop a healthy fear of the hotend whenever it’s in use.
Accidents happen, and sometimes big globs of filament start to accumulate on the nozzle itself. I can speak from experience when I say you’re going to want to instinctively grab this abomination to prevent disaster. I am also speaking from experience when I say that this is a very silly thing to do.
I’d recommend keeping a pair of work gloves near your printer for accidents like this (you can even use them when performing maintenance like cold pulls). Getting molten filament on your skin is probably one of the worst injuries you can get from your 3D printer, since it will stick and burn for a while.
Some 3D printers have been known to catch fire
But most never will
Like any item with a heating element—including electric heaters, hairdryers, and toasters—your 3D printer presents a risk of fire. This could happen as a result of thermal runaway, where the components responsible for regulating temperature fail, and your printer’s nozzle gets hotter and hotter. Bed adhesion issues can cause filament to come loose, stick to a hot nozzle, and potentially catch fire. Loose wires and faulty mainboards can also present a risk.
Anecdotally speaking, modern printers appear to be far less of a fire risk than older models. At the same time, some people still aren’t happy leaving prints running while they’re not present. At the very least, make sure your 3D printer is located near a smoke alarm and a fire extinguisher.
Load-bearing 3D prints can fail (and crush you)
Nobody wants a mouthful of bicycle
It can be tempting to use your 3D printer for absolutely everything, but this mentality can do more harm than good. I’m reminded of the Reddit user who 3D printed a wall mount for their bicycle, which they then mounted directly above their bed. This led to an outburst of advice outlining that 3D printing’s weaknesses often lie in the way that prints intersect rather than the materials used.
Orienting your prints the “right” way can lead to better outcomes, and you can use techniques like “annealing” to strengthen prints with heat. Ultimately, you’re better off not risking injury or death because a 3D printed bracket (or similar) failed.
3D printer fumes can be harmful
Melting plastic, not fantastic
It’s a good idea to ventilate the area in which your 3D printer is located when it’s in use. Though PLA is considered non-toxic, it can still produce irritating gases (and that melted plastic smell). Things start to get even worse when you use filaments like ABS, which can release styrene gas that is possibly carcinogenic and can cause headaches and dizziness.
Open a window, 3D print yourself a vent adapter, install a fan, or put your 3D printer in a shed.
Some items should never, ever be 3D printed
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should
There are plenty of items that you should avoid printing at home for safety reasons. This includes items that come in contact with food, since 3D printing is not regarded as a food-safe production technique (and there are concerns about toxicity and microplastics too).
Items that are designed to withstand force, like bike helmets and heavy-duty tools, are also a bad idea. At best, they break and must be thrown away; at worst, they present a serious risk to your safety. Children’s toys are also potentially harmful, with some examples of 3D printed retail products recalled due to choking hazard.
Model repositories generally won’t police this, so there are lots of questionable models shared online with little to no warning about the potential dangers. Think twice before you hit print!
3D printing isn’t inherently dangerous, but anyone can make mistakes. Make sure you brush up on the rookie mistakes you might be making.