I was DEAD WRONG about air quality

The Next Layer
3 Oct 202320:23

TLDRThe video discusses the author's journey to improve air quality in his 3D printing workspace. Initially concerned about pollutants from 3D printers, the author explores various methods to enhance air quality, including the use of consumer-grade products. He highlights the importance of air circulation over filtration, especially for unenclosed printers, and the quick saturation of carbon filters. The author's experiments with ABS and ASA printing reveal that other activities, such as soldering and using harsh chemicals, contribute significantly to air pollution. He emphasizes the necessity of replacing polluted air quickly and the challenges of clearing accumulated pollutants. Surprisingly, the author finds that outdoor air may not always be cleaner, especially in urban areas with heavy construction. His strategy involves using an air purifier continuously, venting and purifying the air, and scheduling noxious activities for the end of the day to allow for air quality recovery. The video concludes with a call for community discussion on the topic and gratitude to Dreo for sponsoring the video.

Takeaways

  • 🚫 **Air Quality Concerns**: The author expresses initial concerns about the air quality due to 3D printer emissions, even with PLA.
  • 🤔 **Health Impacts**: Reflects on personal health issues and the precautions taken by 3D printer manufacturers, indicating a broader concern for air quality.
  • 🔍 **Lost in Tech's Influence**: Mentions a video by Lost in Tech that highlighted the significant VOC emissions, especially during pre-heating of 3D printer materials.
  • 🌬️ **Air Circulation Importance**: Emphasizes the importance of air circulation over filtration, as recommended by studies on air quality and 3D printing.
  • 🛠️ **Enclosure Limitations**: Points out that even enclosed printers without internal sensors cannot guarantee safe air quality after filtration.
  • ⏱️ **Carbon Saturation**: Highlights the quick expiration of carbon's effectiveness in filtration and the difficulty in knowing when it's saturated.
  • 🔄 **Circulation Over Filtration**: Suggests that circulating fresh air might be more effective than relying solely on filtration systems.
  • 🤝 **Partnership with Dreo**: Describes a collaboration with Dreo, who provided smart air circulation fans and a filtration system for testing.
  • 📈 **Unexpected Findings**: Discovers that ABS and ASA printing might not be as harmful as previously thought, and other activities contribute more to air pollution.
  • 🛑 **Pollutant Removal**: Stresses the importance of removing pollutants quickly, especially VOCs, to prevent them from concentrating in the workspace.
  • 🕒 **Time for Air Cleaning**: Learns that it takes a significant amount of time to clean the air once it's been polluted.
  • 🏙️ **External Air Quality**: Realizes that outside air may not be cleaner, especially in urban areas with high levels of construction and traffic-related pollution.
  • 📉 **Proactive Measures**: Concludes with a strategy of being more proactive about air quality, using a combination of ventilation, air circulation, and purification.

Q & A

  • What is the main concern about 3D printers in the video?

    -The main concern is that 3D printers, even when using PLA, can emit pollutants and potentially cancer-causing compounds, which affect air quality in the workspace.

  • What is the role of air circulation in improving air quality?

    -Air circulation is crucial as it helps to replace polluted air with clean, fresh air, thereby reducing the concentration of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and PM2.5 (microscopic particles) in the workspace.

  • Why did the video creator decide to partner with Dreo?

    -The video creator partnered with Dreo to test their smart air circulation fans and air filtration system, which could help improve air quality by circulating and filtering the air in the workspace.

  • What is the significance of the findings regarding ABS and ASA printing?

    -The surprising finding was that ABS and ASA printing might not be the primary contributors to air pollution in a 3D printing workspace. Other activities such as soldering, using harsh chemicals, and drying filament were found to be significant sources of pollution.

  • What are the limitations of using air filtration systems alone?

    -Air filtration systems can be effective, but they may not be sufficient if used exclusively. They might not capture all pollutants, especially if the printers are not enclosed or if the air hasn't circulated through the filter enough times to be considered safe.

  • How does the video creator plan to manage air quality in their workspace?

    -The creator plans to use a combination of air circulation with Dreo's fans and air purification with Dreo's air purifier. They also intend to perform polluting activities at the end of the day to allow time for air quality to recover.

  • What is the impact of external air quality on the effectiveness of ventilation?

    -External air quality can significantly impact the effectiveness of ventilation. If the outside air is already polluted, simply opening windows and doors may not significantly improve the indoor air quality.

  • Why is it important to consider the placement of air circulation fans?

    -The placement of air circulation fans is important for maximizing airflow and effectively removing pollutants from the workspace. Placing fans too close to windows might not be as effective as positioning them further away to create better circulation patterns.

  • What are the challenges faced by the video creator during air quality testing?

    -The video creator faced challenges such as unexpected results from their testing, difficulty in achieving significant improvements in air quality, and the complexity of factors affecting air quality in their urban environment.

  • What is the conclusion about the relationship between the type of 3D printing material and air quality?

    -The conclusion was that the type of 3D printing material, while it can contribute to air pollution, might not be as significant as other activities in a maker space. It is the combination of all activities that can lead to a polluted environment.

  • How does the video creator suggest managing activities that generate a lot of pollutants?

    -The video creator suggests managing such activities by performing them towards the end of the day, ensuring that there is enough time for the air quality to improve before reoccupying the space.

Outlines

00:00

😷 Concerns Over 3D Printers' Air Quality Impact

The speaker expresses concern about the pollutants and carcinogens emitted by 3D printers, even when using PLA. They discuss their motivation for investigating air quality, influenced by personal health issues and the precautions taken by 3D printer manufacturers. The video's goal is to explore affordable ways to improve workspace air quality. The speaker also references a video by Lost in Tech, which highlighted the significant VOC emissions from 3D printing, especially with ABS and the pre-heating stages of other materials like PLA and PETG. The importance of air circulation over filtration is emphasized, as is the quick saturation of carbon filters used in homemade solutions.

05:01

🔍 Experimenting with Air Circulation and Filtration

The speaker details their plan to test various air cleaning methods, including air circulation, expelling dirty air, creating air inlets and outlets, and pumping clean air into the workspace. They partnered with Dreo to test a smart air circulation fan and a smart air filtration system. The initial hypothesis was that ABS and ASA printing would be the primary contributors to air pollution, but the speaker found that other activities in the workspace, such as soldering and using chemicals, significantly impacted air quality. The results showed that air quality was not significantly improved by simply printing ABS and ASA, contradicting common assumptions.

10:06

🏗️ The Importance of Air Replacement and the Challenge of Accumulated Pollutants

The speaker emphasizes the importance of replacing polluted air quickly, especially when dealing with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They discuss the ineffectiveness of simply opening a window and the need for strategic air circulation and extraction. The realization that clearing accumulated pollutants takes a long time led to the conclusion that preventing pollution concentration is crucial. The speaker shares their strategy of using air filters and purifiers during activities that generate pollution and scheduling noxious activities at the end of the day to allow for air quality recovery.

15:08

🌫️ The Discovery of External Air Pollution and Its Impact

The speaker recounts their surprise at finding that outside air may not be as clean as expected, especially in urban environments with construction and other pollutants. They discuss their experience in Tel Aviv, where external air quality was found to be poor due to ongoing construction. This led to a revised strategy of using air circulation to move polluted air out and then using an air purifier to clean the incoming air. The speaker also mentions their intention to keep the air purifier on auto mode at all times and to engage in more polluting activities towards the end of the day.

20:09

📢 Conclusion and Call for Discussion

The speaker concludes by summarizing their key takeaways from the experiment, including the need for better air quality awareness and the importance of both air circulation and purification. They express gratitude to Dreo for sponsoring the video and to their Patreon supporters. The speaker invites viewers to join the discussion on the topic, either in the comments or on The Next Layer's Discord server, and hints at the possibility of a follow-up video as they continue to learn about air quality.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡3D printers

3D printers are devices that create three-dimensional objects from a digital model by laying down successive layers of material. In the video, the user expresses concern about the pollutants emitted by these printers, which is the central theme of the video as it explores ways to improve air quality in a workspace where 3D printing is done.

💡PLA

PLA, or polylactic acid, is a common type of biodegradable thermoplastic material used as a filament for 3D printing. The video mentions PLA in the context of emissions from 3D printers, indicating that even 'safer' materials like PLA can contribute to air pollution due to the need to burn leftover material out of the nozzle.

💡Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Volatile Organic Compounds are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature, which means they can easily enter the atmosphere. In the video, VOCs are highlighted as a significant concern due to their emission from 3D printing and other activities in the workspace, contributing to poor air quality.

💡PM2.5

PM2.5 refers to particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, which are very small and can penetrate deep into the lungs when inhaled. The video discusses the impact of PM2.5 emissions from various activities such as sanding prints and soldering, emphasizing the need to reduce these microscopic particles for better air quality.

💡Air circulation

Air circulation is the movement of air within a space to improve ventilation. The video stresses the importance of air circulation over air filtration alone, as it helps in replacing polluted air with fresh air, thereby improving the overall air quality in the workspace.

💡HEPA filters

HEPA, which stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, filters are a type of air filter that can remove very small particles from the air, including PM2.5. The video mentions HEPA filters in the context of air filtration systems, noting that while they are effective, they may not be sufficient without proper air circulation.

💡Activated charcoal

Activated charcoal is a form of carbon used to remove impurities from the air due to its high surface area and adsorption capacity. The video discusses the use of activated charcoal in air filtration systems, but also points out that it can become saturated and lose effectiveness over time if not replaced.

💡Smart air circulation fans

Smart air circulation fans are devices that can be connected to smart home systems and programmed for optimal air movement. The video features a collaboration with Dreo, a company that provided the user with a smart air circulation fan for testing its effectiveness in improving air quality.

💡Air quality sensor

An air quality sensor is a device that measures the quality of the air, often focusing on pollutants like VOCs or particulate matter. In the video, the user uses an air quality sensor to measure VOC levels, which is crucial in understanding the effectiveness of the strategies employed to improve air quality.

💡Resin 3D printer

A resin 3D printer is a type of 3D printer that uses liquid resin, which is cured by a UV light, to create objects. The video mentions resin 3D printers as one of the many tools in a maker's workspace that can contribute to air pollution, emphasizing the broader range of pollutants beyond just those from traditional 3D printing.

💡Soldering

Soldering is a process in which two or more items are joined together by melting and fusing a filler metal into the joint. The video discusses soldering as an activity that can release harmful fumes and particulates into the air, contributing to the need for proper ventilation and air quality management in the workspace.

Highlights

The video discusses the air quality concerns associated with 3D printing and aims to find ways to improve it.

3D printers, even when using PLA, can emit harmful pollutants and carcinogens.

The video explores the use of affordable consumer-grade products to enhance workspace air quality.

The importance of air circulation in improving air quality over air filtration alone is emphasized.

Lost in Tech's makeshift air quality logging device reveals high VOC emissions, especially with ABS printing.

Surprisingly, VOCs are emitted even during the pre-heating stages of safer materials like PLA and PETG.

Carbon filters are effective but can expire quickly, and it's hard to know when they've reached saturation.

Air circulation is as crucial as filtration in reducing pollutants like VOCs and PM2.5 particles.

The use of smart air circulation fans and filtration systems is tested for their effectiveness.

ABS and ASA printing are found to be less concerning for air quality than other activities in a maker space.

Other activities like soldering, using harsh chemicals, and drying filament contribute significantly to air pollution.

Replacing polluted air is crucial when working with volatile organic compounds.

It takes a long time to clean accumulated pollutants from the air once they have built up.

The outdoor air may not be as clean as expected, especially in urban areas with high pollution levels.

A multi-prong strategy of venting and then purifying the air is suggested for effective air quality management.

The video concludes with a call to action for a more conscientious approach to air quality in workspaces.

Dreo's air circulation fans and purifiers are recommended for improving and maintaining air quality.

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