Workplace Exposure to Dust Emissions in Additive Manufacturing with an FFF Method

This article presents the results of research on dust emissions generated by the additive manufacturing process (3D printing) using an FFF method and its impact on the human work environment. The study utilized filaments from three manufacturers in three color variants: neutral, yellow, and black, all made from polylactic acid (PLA), one of the most commonly used polymers in FFF processes. The findings indicated that dust emission levels vary significantly depending on the selection of printing process parameters and the type of filament used. Among the process parameters, the extruder temperature and nozzle diameter have the greatest influence on emission levels. It was shown that at high temperatures and with a small nozzle diameter, the emission level can exceed values hazardous to human health within a short printing time. The maximum recorded Dust Emission Intensity Index (DEII) reached 1058 µg/h when printing with black PLA filament under high-temperature conditions (225 °C, 0.4 mm nozzle). Under these parameters, the predicted dust concentration in a 29 m3 room without ventilation exceeded the WHO limit of 50 µg/m3 for PM10 after approximately 98 min of continuous operation. These results indicate that even desktop-scale FFF printing can pose a measurable risk to indoor air quality when unfavorable process settings are applied.