I’m wondering if anyone has experimented with using something like an air purifier or filter to get rid of the VOCs and associated smell of the Form 2 resins. Our printer is in our office area and while it isn’t too bad, it would be nice to eliminate the smell and any potential respiratory issues.
Usually we run our prints at night, but we are generating some longer prints now that run into the morning and it’s pretty noticeable walking in.
I was thinking of using an ionizer, but ozone probably isn’t great for you either.
IMO I don’t feel the ionizer is the way to go. In my lab we have a blower set up directly above the printer. It is connected to a vent that goes straight up and out of our building. The blower is connected to a switch and during long prints, or when using IPA, etc. I just turn the blower on and up and out go the VOC’s, smells, etc.
Of course I work in a lab in an industrial warehouse, so much of this was easily accessible and easy to setup. Maybe in a small office/home/apartment you could set up a desktop blower, or even a fan towards a window? @cjoneswent all out.
Ionizer won’t help with the odor and smell of the VOCs, you need something to absorb it. I believe you need an activated carbon filter for this problem.
Also it is better to have a strong fan and blow it out of window. I find one air purifier in this list and it works like charm - the Coway.
I have my Form 2 in my office.
I bought a used Steelcase cabinet in which I keep the printer and the tanks and resin cartridges.
I cut a hole in the top and rigged a LARGE activated charcoal filter ( the kind they sell for Indoor Pot growing operations - good for about a year of continuous operation ) and I ducted that filter out thru the hole and thru an Axial whisper quiet fan that sits OUTSIDE the cabinet. ( If you put the fan INSIDE the cabinet- its motor confuses the Form 2’s level sensor for some reason )
The cabinet is NOT sealed… it has cracks around the doors and assembled panels… but the way I have it rigged, when the cabinet is closed those cracks are the air INLETS that bring room air into the cabinet- and the ducted fan maintains a negative air pressure inside the cabinet so air does not leak out of those openings.
I have been running litre of Rigid resin- which is one of the smelliest Resins Formlabs produces. And you can’t smell a trace of the resin even when the print has been running all night.
Moreover- the closed cabinet keeps the light flux near zero on the resin in the printer and the tanks I have stored on another shelf inside…
All in all- I advise you rig a similar activated carbon filter to capture the volatiles and other compounds that the resin gives off.
The only way we found to operate the F2’s was to enclose them in a fume extraction case.
We have a relatively small motor drawing about 3m3 per min and they are fine. The case is made from Acrylic so also acts as a double layer of UV protection. Build with Aluminium equal angle extrusion and about 350 stainless steel screws.
Yes it’s really not good for you at all. Ozone is great in the ionosphere for stopping UV light from killing us, but not good in your lungs. If you vent it outside that’s at least better (I mean let’s be honest while dumping ozone outside is less awesome it’s a tiny amount of ozone, and in the entire life of the printer you wouldn’t approach one lighting bolt’s worth)
Hi, I am working on indoor air pollution and its solutions for the last few years. in my opinion, you shouldn’t use an ionizer. Instead of an ionizer, an air purifier would be the best solution to get rid of COCs and smell.
