It’s time to begin proper labeling of 3D printer filaments.
I have a lot of problems with the current state of labeling on spools of 3D printer filament. Sure, there are labels on these products, but there are a ton of issues, not the least of which is consistency.
Labeling varies considerably by provider, and even the location of the labels is inconsistent. Sometimes you’ll find the product labeling on the box, and other times you’ll find them on the spool itself. That’s handy if you toss the box; otherwise, you lose the label.
Some providers opt for a QR code as part of the label, which can lead to not only general information about the product but sometimes even the production information for that specific spool. But other providers may not provide or even track that information.
The content of the labeling varies considerably.
Sometimes there is a brand name for the product, but without an indication of what type of material it might be: is it ABS or ASA?
Often you’ll see recommended temperatures for the material, but they tend to be near useless these days. That’s because the proper 3D printing temperature for a specific filament varies by machine — and even per job. This is best done through print profiles, which match a machine and a material.
The result of this is that the ranges are particularly uninformative. “Print this PLA between 180-220C” does not tell me anything useful. In fact, that’s really the range you might use on a temperature tower to discover the true correct temperature for that material on your 3D printer.
My biggest issue with spool labels is that they almost never list the ingredients to the material. Because of that, we naively assume that the spool of PLA on the table is made from “PLA”.
Yes, there will be PLA in that spool, probably the majority by weight. However, there will also be a number of other additives. These change the properties of the PLA material slightly.
For example, additives might make the PLA “tough”, or “shiny”, etc. They are also responsible for colors. Some filament providers also use “fillers” to occupy volume but reduce the cost of production.
Here’s the problem: food always has ingredient labels because we consume that food. We’d better know what’s going into our bodies. 3D printer filament isn’t eaten, so we don’t need labels, or so the theory goes.
However, when you’re 3D printing objects, the heat from the hot end causes emissions. Some of the material is vaporized and travels through the air, where it can land on your skin or be breathed into your lungs.
If you print objects that regularly touch your skin, small amounts of chemicals can pass through, which in some cases can add up over time.
In other words, you ARE consuming the 3D printer filament.
There should be labeling of the ingredients, or at least the ingredients that can cause problems.
Sometimes this is found in the material data safety sheets, which are usually legally required. However, an investigation by Formlabs revealed that many providers of 3D printer resin do not have accurate safety data sheets for their products — if they have them at all.
The same is likely true for many filament providers.
If there were an industry standard for spool labeling and content, then it would encourage providers with questionable content to change their formulations. It would also make life a lot easier for 3D printer operators, who would more easily be able to keep track of the many spools in their inventory.
