Is breathing in melting ABS Fumes from a printer toxic?

I am unable to come up with anything concrete on this, but I have heard/read claims that it is.

Don't brethe it in if possible, use a fan to ventalate your workspace. PLA is probably better for you, I personally keep my printer in my garage. I plan to build a box with an exaust fan and duct it away from me.

Short answer:
Yes most likely breathing burnt plastic is hazedous.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2013 04:29PM by Lance448.

Discusses several times before, try the search function.

Bottom line: not in normal use.

Lance448 Wrote:
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> Short answer:
> Yes most likely breathing burnt plastic is
> hazedous.

The question is not really is it hazardous, but how hazardous, since nearly everything carries some risk. Crossing the road is hazardous, but we do it anyway.

A useful benchmark might be cigarette smoking. Some people draw the line there, some don't. Is it more or less hazardous than smoking cigarettes?

And numbers please, not guesses

"Is breathing in melting ABS Fumes from a printer toxic"
Technically Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene gas is toxic, The question is not "how hazedous" but is it toxic?

If you are in a ventalated area you should be fine, but I wouldn't use a 3D printer using ABS in an infants nursery.

I agree with bobc for the most part though.

"The test results I saw were below 1ppm, and the NIOSH limit is 4.7ppm. "
What was the volume of the area it was tested in? I'm sure a closet would be pretty high vs a garage.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2013 04:54PM by Lance448.

How hazardous it is - I cant speak for ABS or PLA but we Laserprocess PA6.6 Parts which to reach the UL V0 Level have aditives
which due to the heating and burning react to PHOSGENE which is definitely DANGEROUS belongs to the frirst substances used in chemical warfare!

[en.wikipedia.org]

SO our laser balance and laserengraving devices have all huge filters ( only to be changed by educated staff)

Regarding the ABS and PLA - I will use a cabinet and a Fan - with a tubing outside my window!

calcetin Wrote:
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> Here's the last link of several I checked:
> [www.instructables.com]
> e-or-DIY-Testing-for-HCN-from-/

There you go, I wouldn't say it's delicious and nutricious though ha ha

*Edit: Actually just read this. There are actually greater than 25 possible gas species that can come from ABS in varying quantities. Some of them are toxic. IMO, use in a well ventilated area.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffire.nist.gov%2Fbfrlpubs%2Ffire86%2FPDF%2Ff86017.pdf&ei=6tL6UYGaCobkyQGt7oCwCw&usg=AFQjCNFMCMrvPCGIVaQokzh0jxfbMyDwQg&sig2=cd2gslo9K5uU-BlVUOT6kA&bvm=bv.50165853,d.aWc

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2013 05:43PM by iquizzle.