Ulkir Osman
Department of Electric and Energy, Mus Alparslan University, 49250 Mus, Turkey.
Polymers (Basel). 2023 Mar 15;15(6):1466. doi: 10.3390/polym15061466.
Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology is one of the preferred methods to ensure sustainability in fabrication. In addition to providing continuity in sustainability, fabrication, and diversity, it aims to improve people's quality of life, develop the economy, and protect the environment and resources for future generations. In this study, the life cycle assessment (LCA) method was used to determine whether a product fabricated by the AM provides tangible benefits compared to traditional fabrication methodologies. LCA is an evaluation method that provides information on resource efficiency and waste generation, where the environmental impacts of a process can be calculated, measured, and reported throughout the entire life cycle, starting from the acquisition of raw materials, processing, fabrication, use, end of life, and disposal, according to ISO 14040/44 standards. This study examines the environmental impacts of the three most preferred filaments and resin materials in the AM for a 3D-printed product from the start, which consists of three stages. These stages are raw material extraction, manufacturing, and recycling. Filament material types are Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polylactic Acid (PLA), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETG), and Ultraviolet (UV) Resin. The fabrication process was carried out with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Stereolithography (SLA) techniques using a 3D printer. Environmental impacts for all identified steps were estimated over the life cycle using the energy consumption model. As a result of the LCA, it was seen that UV Resin was the most environmentally friendly material in the mid-point and end-point indicators. It has been determined that the ABS material also exhibits bad results on many indicators and is the least environmentally friendly. The results support those working with AM in comparing different materials' environmental impacts and choosing an environmentally friendly material.
增材制造（AM）或3D打印技术是确保制造过程可持续性的首选方法之一。除了在可持续性、制造和多样性方面提供连续性外，它还旨在提高人们的生活质量、发展经济并为子孙后代保护环境和资源。在本研究中，生命周期评估（LCA）方法被用于确定与传统制造方法相比，增材制造制造的产品是否能带来切实的好处。LCA是一种评估方法，可提供有关资源效率和废物产生的信息，根据ISO 14040/44标准，从原材料获取、加工、制造、使用、寿命结束到处置的整个生命周期内，都可以计算、测量和报告一个过程的环境影响。本研究从一开始就考察了增材制造中三种最常用的长丝和树脂材料对3D打印产品的环境影响，该过程包括三个阶段。这些阶段是原材料提取、制造和回收。长丝材料类型有丙烯腈-丁二烯-苯乙烯（ABS）、聚乳酸（PLA）、聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（PETG）和紫外线（UV）树脂。使用3D打印机通过熔融沉积建模（FDM）和立体光刻（SLA）技术进行制造过程。使用能源消耗模型在整个生命周期内估计所有已识别步骤的环境影响。生命周期评估的结果表明，紫外线树脂在中点和终点指标方面是最环保的材料。已经确定ABS材料在许多指标上也表现不佳，是最不环保的。这些结果支持了那些使用增材制造技术比较不同材料环境影响并选择环保材料的研究。
