3d Printing And Consumer Product Safety

Transcript

3D Printing and Consumer Product Safety White Paper January 2015 ! About&the&author& Gail Greatorex Disclaimer* ! Product*Safety*Solutions* promotes*consumer*product* safety*and*design,*in*Australia* and*beyond* If!you’re!making,* importing!or!selling!consumer! products!there!can!be!traps,!like! recalled!and!banned!products.!! Or!standards!that!have!to!be!met! before!you!can!sell.!!Product! Safety!Solutions!can!help!guide! you!through!the!regulatory!maze.! ! Our!website!provides!tips!for! product!designers,*makers*and* sellers*on!how!to!achieve! usability!and!the!best!safety! outcomes!for!all!products.! ! If!you’re!advising!product!sellers! –!as!a!law!firm,!compliance! professional,!trade!association!or! the!like!–!our!website!will!help! point!you!in!the!right!direction!to! best!help!your!clients.! ! And!for!everyone,!there’s!advice!to! help!manage!the!risks!of!everyday! things!that!we!all!use.! ©!Gail!Greatorex! ! ! ! ! ! Gail!Greatorex!has!a!passion!for!product!safety!and!good!product! design.!! ! Gail!has!more!than!25!years!experience!working!with!the!federal! government! in! consumer! product! safety,! including! the! Australian!Competition!and!Consumer!Commission!from!1995!to! 2012.! ! In!2012,!Gail!set!up!a!training!consultancy!in!product!safety!and! compliance.! In! 2014,! she! launched! the! Product! Safety! Solutions! website!and!Facebook!page.!! ! Gail’s! expertise! includes! product! safety! policy! and! compliance,! hazard! assessment,! technical! standards! and! testing,! product! recalls!and!product!safety!systems.!! ! Subscribe! to! Gail’s! blog! for! advice! and! opinion! across! the! product!safety!and!design!spectrum.! www.productsafetysolutions.com.au! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Abstract& In! the! midM15th! century,! the! invention! and! spread! of! movable! type! mechanical! printing! technology! led! to! an! explosion! in! the! spread! and! increase! of! human! knowledge! through! the! mass! production!of!books:!the!world’s!first!massMproduced!product.!! ! In! the! not! too! distant! future,! 3D! printing! will! turn! consumer! product! design,! production! and! supply! upside! down.! Some! are! calling!3D!printing!a!new!industrial!revolution.!It!might!also!lead! to!the!democratisation!of!consumer!goods!production.!! ! This! paper! explains! how! 3D! printing! works! and! how! it! will! impact! the! consumer! product! industry,! then! examines! how! 3D! printing!will!affect!product!safety!now!and!into!the!future.!! ! 3D! printing! creates! significant! benefits! in! terms! of! consumer! product!safety;!it!also!presents!many!new!challenges!M!ones!that! all!players!will!need!to!prepare!for.!!And,!as!always,!good!product! design!is!key!to!maximising!safety.! ! This!paper!outlines!the!challenges!and!proposes!some!strategies! to!apply!in!order!to!get!ahead!of!the!game.!! ! Table&of&Contents& ! * Abstract&.............................................................................................&3& * 3D&Printing&and&Consumer&Product&Safety&..........................................&4& Introduction*...................................................................................................*5* What*is*3D*printing?*...................................................................................*6* So,*what*can*3D*printing*do?*....................................................................*7* And*for*consumer*products…*...................................................................*7* * What&does&3D&printing&mean&for&consumer&product&safety?&.............&13& * Product&safety&in&a&changing&market?&..............................................&19& Democratisation*of*production*and*supply*......................................*20* Supply*chain*implications*.......................................................................*21* * ©!Gail!Greatorex! * Addressing&the&emerging&challenges&................................................&21& Proposals*and*Recommendations*........................................................*22* * Conclusion&.......................................................................................&26& & Endnotes&.........................................................................................&27& 3 ! 3D&printing&and&consumer&product&safety& Introduction& ! Imagine(these(possibilities( ! Manufacturing! plastic! toys! in! your! home! from! your! own! or! someone! else’s! designs! –! for! your! kids! to! play! with,! or! to! create!your!own!little!retail!business!.!.!.! ! ! ! Making!a!part!for!your!washing!machine,!instead!of!throwing! it!on!the!junk!heap!because!the!part!is!no!longer!made!.!.!.! Inventing!a!whole!new!product,!making!it!in!your!garage!and! selling!it!online!.!.!.! ReMdesigning!existing!products!–!for!variety,!for!better!utility,! for!different!uses,!or!to!fix!something!you’ve!always!hated!.!.!.! ! 3D! printing! makes! all! these! things! possible! and! it’s! affordable! now!M!for!homes,!offices!and!factories.! ! It!is!still!early!days!in!terms!of!wide!public!knowledge!and!use,! but! 3D! printing! has! the! potential! to! turn! both! production! and! supply!on!their!heads.! ! ! And!it!has!the!potential!to!have!a!big!impact!on!product!safety!in! ways!we!have!barely!begun!to!think!about.! ! A(role(for(all(players( ! As!with!other!aspects!of!consumer!product!safety,!all!community! sectors!have!a!role!to!play.!! ! The! private* sector! has! the! greatest! opportunity! to! manage! product! safety.! Designers,* producers,* suppliers* and* their* support* enterprises! have! control! over! product! development,! production,!marketing!and!supply.!! ! As!always,!good!product!design!is!the!key!to!maximising!safety,! so!designers!will!need!to!be!the!focus!of!attention.!*! * Consumers!have!a!key!responsibility!to!be!alert!to!new!hazards! and!take!care!in!using!new!products.! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 4 ! Schools* and* universities! have! the! chance! to! build! safety! and! design! thinking! into! their! programs! –! from! early! childhood,! through!to!tertiary!level!study!in!related!fields.! ! Governments!must!stay!across!the!changing!consumer!economy! and! operating! environments,! work! with! stakeholders! and! take! action!to!ensure!the!best!outcome!for!consumers!and!business.!! ! The! product! safety! community! includes! members! from! all! sectors! and! these! groups! will! need! to! work! together! in! the! context!of!such!dramatic!change!to!the!consumer!market.!! ! ! What&is&3D&printing?&& ! Most! of! us! know! printers! as! the! objects! that! sit! on! our! desks! putting!ink!to!paper!from!our!computer!screen.* ! It!can!be!difficult!to!imagine!a!printer!being!used!to!make!objects! in!3D.!!But!that’s!what!3D!printing!is!–!using!a!machine!to!make! threeMdimensional! objects! using! electronic! data! from! a! computer.! ! ! Also!known!as!‘additive!manufacturing’,!3D!printing!uses!a!data! model! and! builds! successive! layers! of! raw! material,! such! as! plastic,! until! a! 3D! shape! is! made.! A! 3D! printer! is! a! kind! of! industrial! robot! that! transforms! computer! designs! into! real! world!objects.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 5 ! So,&what&can&3D&printing&do?& ! The! possibilities! are! enormous.! Some! sectors! have! been! using! additive! manufacturing! methods! for! some! time! and! the! technology!is!becoming!increasingly!sophisticated.!Here!are!just! a!few!applications!that!are!already!in!regular!use!M* ! Property! developers! can! make! their! own! construction! materials! onsite.! Whole! buildings! are! being! ‘printed’! using! concreteMlike! materials! with! minimal! prior! formwork! needed! ! Airlines!are!making!plane!parts!on!demand! ! Medical! technologists! are! making! replacement! body! parts! tailorMmade!to!individual!patients! ! ! And&for&consumer&products…&& ‘Large'manufacturers' will'need'to'watch'out' because'much'of'what' is'coming'will' empower'small'and' medium7sized'firms' and'individual' entrepreneurs.’!! ! Paul!Markillie,!! The'Economist.! ©!Gail!Greatorex! ! Up!until!now,!the!role!of!3D!printing!in!consumer!products!has! mostly!been!limited!to!modelling!and!prototypes.!But!the!world! is!opening!up!for!manufacturers,!designers,!small!businesses!and! ! even!consumers!themselves.! ! Manufacturing( ! ‘Large! manufacturers! will! need! to! watch! out! because! much! of! what!is!coming!will!empower!small!and!mediumMsized!firms!and! individual!entrepreneurs.’!Paul!Markillie,!The!Economist.i! While! 3D! printing! may! never! be! viable! for! mass! production,! there!is!a!raft!of!lower!volume!products!for!which!3D!printing!is! ideal.! ! 3D! printing! means! products! can! be! printed! locally! on! demand,! only!when!needed.!This!can!shave!weeks!off!manufacturing!leadM times!and!also!eliminate!shipping!and!inventory!holding!costs.! ! Once! production! speeds! are! enhanced,! costs! are! lowered! and! printer! capabilities! are! expanded,! 3D! printing! will! deliver! all! these! significant! benefits! for! manufacturers! and! consumers! alike.ii! ! 6 ! The! onMdemand! nature! that! 3D! printing! brings! to! the! manufacturing! process! produces! other! benefits.! If! a! product! is! needed! on! the! fly! M! a! replacement! part! for! example! M! the! manufacturer! can! create! the! product! onsite,! eliminating! any! significant!down!time!in!production!due!to!waiting!for!a!part!to! arrive.iii! In! The' Economist' Special' Report' on' Manufacturing' and' Innovation,! Paul! Markillie! says! ‘Launching! novel! products! will! become! easier! and! cheaper.! Freed! from! the! constraints! of! traditional!factories,!additive!manufacturing!allows!designers!to! produce!things!that!were!previously!considered!far!too!complex! to!make!economically.!‘! ! ‘Engineers,! too,! are! finding! practical! applications! M! for! example,! fluids! flow! more! efficiently! through! rounded! channels! than! around! sharp! corners,! but! it! is! very! difficult! to! make! such! channels!inside!a!solid!metal.’! ! ‘Weight! savings! are! another! attractive! aspect! of! 3DMprinted! parts.!With!objects!being!built!up!layer!by!layer,!it!is!possible!to! use!just!enough!material!to!make!the!part!work.!Building!things! in! a! traditional! factory! requires! adding! flanges! and! brackets! so! that! objects! can! be! handled,! milled! and! moulded! by! machine! tools,! and! to! !provide! surfaces! for! the! parts! to! be! bolted! or! welded! together.! A! 3D! printer! is! likely! to! print! the! item! as! a! complete!part!that!requires!no!assembly.’iv! ! ! ! ! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 7 ! ! A mini industrial revolution is on the way with 3D printing “What you will see in the next year is an absolute explosion in technology; it will be like a mini-industrial revolution,” Mike de Souza, chief executive of the Australian 3D Manufacturing Association, said. ! A*mini*industrial* revolution*is*on*the* way*with*3D*printing* Using a digital template designed from scratch or scanned with a 3D scanner – in the case of replicating bones or teeth as already happen – the possibilities are endless. ''What'you'will'see'in'the' next'year'is'an'absolute' explosion'in'technology;'it' will'be'like'a'mini7 industrial'revolution.''' ! But according to an Australian supplier of professional 3D printers, Objective 3D, in the immediate future it will probably thrive in producing customised or small volume parts rather than replace traditional high-volume manufacturing. Mike!de!Souza,!CEO!! Australian!3D! Manufacturing! Association! “That's a real strength for 3D printing, because you don't get penalised [financially] for complexity and customisation,” Objective 3D managing director Matt Minio said. Mr Minio has been involved in 3D printing for a decade, and said the growth in the industry is ''difficult to keep up with''. “The industry itself has been growing 20-something per cent for the last 20 years on average and last year it grew about 30 per cent, so !we're actually seeing a massive spike.” While ''hobby'' machines are affordable, starting at about $500, Mr Minio said you get what you pay for. “It will have one material, limited success in printing, the layer resolution and build quality will be quite ordinary, but it produces something,” he said. “At a professional level, something that produces repeatable parts every time … at that level, our systems start at around $8000, but I can take you all the way to $800,000.” “We have one 3D printer that prints over 500 different materials on the one machine. I think our nearest rival would print maybe seven or eight.” From The Canberra Times, 25 June 2014 ( ©!Gail!Greatorex! ( 8 v ! ( Customising(products( Another!implication!of!3D!printing!is!that!goods!will!be!infinitely! more!customised,!because!altering!them!won’t!require!retooling,! only! tweaking! the! instructions! in! the! software.! Creativity! in! meeting! individuals’! needs! will! come! to! the! fore,! just! as! quality! control!did!in!the!age!of!rolling!out!sameness.vi! Gail'Greatorex'at'the' 2014'National'Manufacturing' Week'Expo,' Sydney,'Australia' ©!Gail!Greatorex! Consumers!can!give!their!input!into!what!specification!they!want! in!a!product!and!the!3D!printer!can!make!it!possible,!giving!rise! to!mass!customisation!over!mass!production.vii! ! Dan! Gregory,! CEO! of! The! Impossible! Institute,! is! a! behavioural! researcher! and! strategist.! He! has! looked! at! the! future! of! consumer! behaviour! and! says! that! firstMworld! consumers! are! increasingly! making! purchases! based! on! wants! rather! than! needs.!! ! Gregory!says!in!the!digital!age!much!of!what!we!manufacture!is! ‘simply!a!collection!of!1s!and!0s’.!Demand!for!products!that!meet! the! desires! of! the! individual! will! continue! to! increase! and! will! drive!3D!printing!customisation.! ! Consumers(and(new(market(entrants( ! ! EntryMlevel! 3D! printing! machines! are! increasingly! affordable.!! At! the! Sydney! 2014! National! Manufacturing! Week! expo! a! number!of!machines!were!on!display,!including!the!modest!sized! one!(at!left)!for!under!AU$700.! ! More!recently,!3D!printers!have!started!appearing!for!$US500!! The!general!public!will!increasingly!be!able!to!own!their!own!3D! printer! at! home,! allowing! them! to! manufacture! objects! of! their! own!design,!or!from!a!design!downloaded!from!the!internet.! ! Many!new!websites!provide!designs!for!3D!printed!objects! –!to! buy! or! to! download! for! free.! These! 3D! objects! include! existing! products! as! well! as! many! innovative! product! designs,! some! of! which!can!only!be!created!using!3D!printing!technology.! And!in!addition!to!products!themselves,!an!increasing!number!of! design! specifications! are! available! for! spare! parts.! Parents,! for! example,!will!be!able!to!mend!or!replace!broken!toys!with!ease.! ! ! ! 9 ! ! Paul! Markillie! says! ‘Just! as! the! emergence! of! eMbooks! means! books! may! never! go! out! of! print,! components! could! always! remain! available.! Service! mechanics! could! have! portable! 3D! printers! in! their! vans,! or! hardware! stores! could! provide! partM printing!services.’viii! ! Scanning! technology! also! allows! 3D! design! specifications! to! be! created! by! scanning! existing! products.! As! the! technology! becomes! more! affordable,! the! possibilities! with! this! kind! of! production!seem!limitless.! ! As! well! as! consumers! owning! their! own! 3D! print! machines! for! personal! use,! new! market! entrants! will! emerge! –! both! as! manufacturers! and! as! distributors.! Small! and! medium! businesses! can! also! invest! in! 3D! printers! to! make! and! supply! products.! ! And! just! as! neighbourhood! print! houses! have! always! been! available,!places!from!which!to!order!3D!printed!objects!will!be! established! to! service! community! needs.! Consumers! who! don’t! own!printers!or!have!the!right!type!of!printer!for!their!job!will!be! looking!for!a!place!that!can!produce!their!product!to!order.! ! And,!of!course,!ordering!products!online!doesn’t!even!require!a! ! Any! business! can! set! up! anywhere! to! make! local! provider.! products! designed! to! order,! which! can! then! be! shipped! to! the! customer.! In! January! 2015! a! dedicated! selling! website! for! 3D! printed!products!was!launched.ix!This!site!is!designed!to!provide! a!retail!platform!for!‘prosumers’*!making!3D!print!products.! ! *‘Prosumer’!is!a!term!used!to!describe!combination!producers! and! consumers.! First! coined! in! the! 1980s! by! futurist! Alvin! Tofflerx,! his! prediction! is! now! being! realised! in! consumer! product!3D!printing!and!the!term!seems!apt.! ! ! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 10 ! ! Where*to*find*free*3D*CAD*models*for*3D*Printing* * There!are!several!places!to!find!3D!models!on!the!internet.!If!you! still!learning!how!to!design,!but!want!something!to!print!we!have! put!together!a!list!of!some!of!the!most!popular!online!collections! of!objects!for!you.! ! Sharing*is*Caring* ! Thingiverse! ! Thingiverse!is!a!wealth!of!shared!user!3MD!content!of!other!users’! creations!and!you!can!share!and!upload!your!own.!!Keep!in!mind! that!Thingiverse!has!many!different!types!of!creations,!including! some! that! can’t! be! made! on! a! 3D! printer! (e.g.! designed! to! be! made!on!a!lasercutter).!!www.thingiverse.com! ! GrabCAD! ! GrabCAD!is!another!community!that!was!founded!by!mechanical! engineers.! It! is! also! a! place! for! engineers! to! share! their! talent,! and!after!a!free!registration!you!can!download!files!for!free.!Make! sure! you! select! the! 3D! Print! filter! as! only! some! files! have! STL! download!options.!!www.grabcad.com! ! Google’s!3D!Warehouse! ! ! The! 3D! Warehouse! has! thousands! of! 3MD! models! but! most! of! these! files! require! a! bit! of! a! process! to! prepare! them! for! 3D! Printing.!If!you!are!into!3MD!printing!some!of!these!models,!have! a!read!of!the!“Preparing!3D!Warehouse!files!for!3D!printing”!! sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse! ! Parts*Libraries* ! 3D!Content!Central! ! If!you! are!looking! for! a! 3D!model! of! a! spare!part! or! component! then!there!are!thousands!of!parts!that!can!be!used!here.!Most!of! the! parts! don’t! require! much! clean! up! to! get! them! ready! for! printing!on!your!3D!printer.!Free!registration!is!required!before! you!can!download!any!CAD!models.!!www.3dcontentcentral.com! ! Trace!Parts!Online! ! Another! parts! library! for! the! engineering! 3D! Cad! files! and! requires!free!registration.!!www.tracepartsonline.net! Excerpt'from'3D(Printing(Systems’'websitexi! ( ©!Gail!Greatorex! ( 11 ! Range(of(impacts(for(3D(printing! ! Of! course,! 3D! printing! raises! issues! in! many! areas! of! manufacturing,!commerce!and!the!community.' ! It! will! no! doubt! have! an! impact! on! intellectual! property! and! piracy,! occupational! health! and! safety,! trade! in! illegal! products,! supply!chain!logistics,!sales!tax!and!other!economic!issues.! ! This! white! paper! focuses! on! consumer! product! safety! and! so! does!not!explore!those!myriad!other!issues!in!any!detail.! ! * * ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 12 ! What&does&3D&printing&mean&for&consumer&product&safety?& Having! discussed! what! 3D! printing! might! mean! for! consumer! products,! we! can! consider! what! it! could! mean! for! consumer! product!safety.! ! ! ! ! ( ( ( ( ( Some(benefits(of(3D(printing(for(product(safety( ! Some!product!safety!benefits!that!can!be!envisaged!are:! ! Safety'principles' ! It!will!enable!more!localised!production!and!distribution!for! some! products,! reducing! the! size! of! the! supply! chain! and! allowing!better!safety!and!quality!controls! ! Product!innovation!enabled!by!3D!printing!may!produce!new! and! enhanced! safety! components! and! products,! and! protective!devices;!customising!protective!devices!may!make! them!more!comfortable!and!appealing! ! ! Low! production! numbers! reduce! the! reach! of! any! product! defects.! If! supplied! to! individuals! or! in! small! quantities! online,!suppliers!can!recall!products!direct!if!necessary! ! CustomMmade! products! will! provide! consumers! with! products!designed!for!their!own!ergonomic!needs,!which!will! enhance!utility!and!safety! ! Localised! manufacturing! could! facilitate! production! variations! to! accommodate! differences! in! jurisdictional! regulations! ! Product'quality' ! It! is! easier! and! cheaper! to! revise! and! refine! product! prototypes!–!to!try!out!a!design!and!improve!it!before!going! into!production! ! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 13 ! Products!with!fewer!parts!may!be!more!sturdy,!reliable!and! durable! ! Potential! for! lower! costs! (and! lighter! environmental! footprints)! through! shortened! supply! chains;! quality! products!may!be!more!affordable! ! ! Is(there(a(safety(downside?( ! One! of! the! first! times! 3D! printing! made! the! news! was! in! 2012,! when! a! working! 3D! printed! pistol! was! successfully! made! and! demonstrated.!! ! One!downside!of!3D!printing!was!clear!to!everyone!who!saw!that! story!(except!perhaps!those!who!are!trying!to!get!their!hands!on! a!gun).! ! As!with!many!innovations,!for!all!the!positive!applications!there! can!be!new!hazards.!! ! As! pointed! out! by! Matt! Minto! in! the! Canberra' Times! article! above,! ‘build! quality’! will! be! unreliable! with! entryMlevel! machines.! Business! startMups! that! make! goods! on! lowMlevel! printers! will! need! to! manage! product! safety! carefully! or! risk! ! selling!unsafe!goods.! ! Those! with! an! interest! in! consumer! product! safety! will! need! to! be!alert!to!possibilities!including:! ! Safety'principles' ! New! designers! and! other! new! entrants! into! production! and! supply! may! not! be! cognisant! of! safety! design! principles! or! other! ways! to! mitigate! product! hazards! (e.g.! warnings,! instructions);! and! they! may! not! be! aware! of! standards! or! regulations! ! Standards! won’t! keep! up,! or! be! as! easily! applied,! given! the! variability! of! 3D! printing! designs! and! materials! and! rate! of! customisation! ! Designers,! home! users! and! small! producers! may! design! variations! to! existing! products! without! understanding! the! safety!factors!built!into!the!original!design! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 14 ! Products!that!are!normally!complex!to!build!could!be!printed! and! supplied! in! kit! form,! with! an! increased! risk! of! unsafe! design!and!misassembly! ! It!will!be!easier!to!design!and!supply!‘workaround!products’! intended!to!disable!safety!measures!on!products! ! ! Market! protections! such! as! product! traceability,! recall! and! redress! may! be! compromised! by! less! organised! supply! structures! Consumers! may! not! be! aware! that! the! products! they! are! buying! are! 3D! printed! (with! potential/hidden! safety! compromises)!! ! New'and'old'hazards' ! Both! physical! and! chemical! hazards! may! be! created! in! products!through!home!and!small!business!3D!production! ! Banned!products!can!be!made!for!home!use!and!produced!for! local! sale! without! producers! knowing! they’re! banned! and! with!limited!chance!of!detection!by!authorities! ! New!products!not!yet!conceived!of!will!mean!safety!hazards! ! yet!to!be!discovered.!This!is!true!of!all!new!concepts!M!not!just! 3D!printing!–!but!the!rate!at!which!new!3D!printed!products! will!be!introduced!could!pose!additional!challenges! ! Customising! may! create! new! hazards! (or! reMcreate! old! ones! that!had!been!fixed!by!designers,!standards!and!regulations)! ! Incorrect! parts! created! for! existing! products! may! render! them!unsafe! ! ! Product'quality' ! Due! to! the! layered! additive! process,! products! may! have! limited! strength,! lower! resistance! to! heat! and! moisture,! and! compromised!colour!stabilityxii! ! Materials! used! in! production! may! be! more! prone! to! fatigue! and! less! durable! than! those! used! in! traditional! manufacturing;!material!deterioration!may!lead!to!hazards! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 15 ! The! quality! of! raw! materials! may! not! be! subject! to! checks.! (Recycled!raw!materials!have!been!mentioned!–!good!for!the! environment,!but!.!.!.)! ! ! ! ! ! Consistent,!repeatable!production!quality!may!be!difficult!to! achieve! with! some! materials! due! to! heat! stresses! in! the! printing!process!! PopMup!factories!and!suppliers!may!become!prevalent!in!the! market,!with!some!rogue!operators!among!them! ! ! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! ! 16 ! 1. 2. 3. 4. ( If(you’re(designing(items(to(be(3d(printed,(( here(are(a(few(things(to(consider:( ( ( Your' design' must' be' ‘watertight’.' 'That' is' 3D' way' of' saying' your' design' must' be' closed' without' unintended' gaps' within' the' designed' faces.' 'Gaps' in' the' triangles' create'problems'in'the'print.' ' ' Your' part' has' to' have' walls' with' thickness' (i.e.' no' flat' zero7thickness' surfaces).' The' required' thickness' depends' on' the' material,' and' also' on' the' geometry' of' the' part' itself.''Most'items'we'print'have'a'minimum'wall'thickness' of' around' 1mm' in' areas' that' have' some' structural' support' (e.g.' a' detail' that’s' supported' on' either' side' by' two' walls).' 'Larger' unsupported' details' (e.g.' large' flat' walls)' may' require' wall' thicknesses' to' be' in' excess' of' 3mm.' The' thickness' also' depends' on' the' material' (e.g.' sandstone'requires'thicker'walls'than'plastic).' ' ' Edges' must' be' connected' to' two' faces.' If' an' edge' is' only' ! connected' to' one' surface' (or' to' more' than' two)' it’s' called''‘non7manifold’.'Think'of'it'this'way:'an'edge'is'the' interface' between' two' surfaces.' So' you' can’t' have' a' box' with' zero7thickness' walls' with' one' open' side,' or' three' zero7thickness'walls'that' come'together'at'one'edge.'The' best'way'to'avoid'this'is'to'design'using'3D'volumes'rather' than'flat'surfaces.' ' ' The' good' news' is' that' you' can' check' your' files' ahead' of' time' to' spot' and' fix' these' common' issues' using' freely' available' tools.' The' tool' we' use' the' most' to' check' for' design'printability'is'Netfabb. '' ' (http://www.netfabb.com)''! Extract'from'Pro'Madefor.Me'' –'An'introduction'to'3D'printing'from'' xiii someone'who'does'it'at'work * * ©!Gail!Greatorex! 17 ! ( Safety(of(the(printers(themselves( * A! note! on! the! safety! of! the! printers! themselves.! According! to! a! study! published! in! 2013,! the! particles! emitted! by! 3D! printing! have!a!potential!health!risk!M!inhaled!particles!could!settle!in!the! lungs!and!head!cavities.xiv! ! 3D! printers! are! generally! sold! as! standMalone! devices! without! exhaust! ventilation! or! filtration! accessories.! The! study! suggests! these!printers!be!used!in!wellMventilated!areas.! ! The! potential! toxicity! of! raw! materials! will! also! be! an! issue! in! terms!of!potential!absorption!and!inhalation!while!handling!raw! materials! and! finished! products! and! while! operating! the! printers.! ! ! ! ! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 18 ! Product&safety&in&a&changing&market?& & Democratisation&of&production&and&supply&& ! ‘Communities'offering'3D' printing'and'other' production'services'that' are'a'bit'like'Face7book' are'already'forming' online,'a'new'phenomenon' which'might'be'called' social'manufacturing.’' ' '!Paul!Markillie,!! The'Economist! ©!Gail!Greatorex! The! issues! listed! above! are! not! necessarily! new! to! product! safety.! But! in! the! same! way! that! eMcommerce! has! enabled! new! market!entrants!and!new!means!of!supply,!3D!printing!has!the!! The! internet! has! democratised! consumer! product! supply;! 3D! printing! will! enable! democratisation! of! consumer! product! manufacture.! ! ‘Communities!offering!3D!printing!and!other!production!services! that! are! a! bit! like! FaceMbook! are! already! forming! online,! a! new! phenomenon!which!might!be!called!social!manufacturing.’!!Paul! Markillie,!The!Economistxv! ! Possibilities! will! open! up! for! designers! and! producers! in! ways! that! impact! people! everywhere,! including! those! in! remote! locations!and!developing!nations.! ! In!democratising!production,!the!consumer!product!market!will! be!exposed!to!the!vagaries!of!human!nature,!for!instance:* ! Individuals!will!get!excited!about!designing!and!making!new! products!and!not!recognise!the!need!for!managing!risks! ! ! make! things! for! their! kids! and! may! not! realise! Parents! will! the!hidden!hazards! ! Children! using! 3D! printers! are! unlikely! to! appreciate! the! safety!issues! ! Yet! others! in! the! community! will! choose! to! exploit! the! market! and!make!or!sell!products!that!are!known!to!be!unsafe!or!which! have!few!if!any!checks!and!balances!on!their!safety.! ! * 19 ! Supply&chain&implications& Factories(of(the(future( ! Some! see! 3D! printing! as! the! next! big! shift! in! the! global! supply! chain!network.! ! 3D!printing!means!you!don't!need!a!large!factory!with!industrialM sized!machines!producing!mass!quantities.! For! lowMvolume! manufacturing,! 3D! printing! is! gaining! momentum! and! is! now! cheaper! than! traditional! volumeMbased! production!methodsxvi.! As! this! technology! evolves,! producers! can! set! up! ‘corner! shops’! to!satisfy!local!demand!and!produce!a!broad!range!of!products.! (This!will!cut!down!on!transportation!costs!and!move!away!from! the! days! of! unpredictability! of! shipping! overseas,! high! transportation! costs! and! the! need! for! complex! logistics! management.xvii!Even!if!the!perMunit!production!cost!is!higher,!it! will! be! more! than! offset! by! the! elimination! of! shipping! and! of! buffer!inventories.xviii)! ! As! Richard! A.! D’Aveni! said! in! Harvard' Business' Review,! ‘As! applications! of! the! technology! expand! and! prices! drop,! the! first! big! implication! ! is! that! more! goods! will! be! manufactured! at! or! close!to!their!point!of!purchase!or!consumption.!Many!goods!that! have! relied! on! the! scale! efficiencies! of! large,! centralized! plants! will!be!produced!locally!.!.!.! ‘Such'shortening'of'the' supply'chain'will' potentially'allow' manufacturers'and'their' trade'customers'to'better' manage'risks'in' production.’' ! Richard!A.!D’Aveni! Harvard'Business'Review' ©!Gail!Greatorex! ‘(For! example)! whereas! cars! today! are! made! by! just! a! few! hundred!factories!around!the!world,!they!might!one!day!be!made! in! every! metropolitan! area.! Parts! could! be! made! at! dealerships! and!repair!shops,!and!assembly!plants!could!eliminate!the!need! for! supply! chain! management! by! making! components! as! needed.’xix! ‘Such! shortening! of! the! supply! chain! will! potentially! allow! manufacturers!and!their!trade!customers!to!better!manage!risks! in!production.!Consumers!too!will!benefit!from!more!accessible! suppliers.’* * * 20 ! Addressing&the&emerging&challenges& Proposals&and&Recommendations& ! The! shifts! in! the! nature! of! the! consumer! product! market! will! require! some! clear! strategies! from! the! product! safety! community.!! ! As!mentioned!at!the!start!of!t1his!paper,!all!sectors!have!a!role!to! play! in! product! safety! M! so! too! in! dealing! with! emerging! challenges.!For!3D!printing!these!include:! ! Product!designers!! ! Product!manufacturers/prosumers! ! Supporting! enterprises! such! as! industry! associations,! insurers,! business! advisors,! law! firms! and! technical! consultants!! ! Educational!institutions! ! Government!! ! Consumers!! ! So,! how! might! these! players! address! the! product! safety! ! challenges!of!3D!printing?( ! Resources( ! The!level!of!resources!available!to!guide!designers!and!suppliers! in! consumer! product! safety! has! been! growing! in! the! past! few! years.! However,! there! needs! to! be! more,! and! as! product! design! and! manufacture! are! devolved,! it! will! be! important! to! provide! new!players!with!the!necessary!information!and!tools.!! ! Resources! needed! for! product! safety! include! access! to! injury! data,! product! standards,! anthropometric,! ergonomic! and! user! behaviour! information,! and! information! on! where! to! get! technical!advice!and!support.! ! The! Organisation! for! Economic! Cooperation! and! Development! (OECD)! is! taking! leadership! with! its! ‘Global! Injury! Data! Portal’! project! as! one! positive! step! to! making! key! resources! available! for!designers!and!producers.!! ! Standards!will!also!be!an!important!resource.!The!International! Standards! Organisation! (ISO)! has! established! technical! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 21 ! committee!ISO/TC!261!to!examine!and!set!standards!for!a!range! of!additive!manufacturing!aspects.! ! Designers! and! suppliers! can,! in! turn,! provide! consumer! information! and! guidance! through! clear! and! detailed! user! instructions.!This!can!be!done!both!at!time!of!supply!and!further! information! can! be! made! available! via! online! videos,! websites! and!forums.! ! However,! as! design! and! production! is! democratised,! the! costs! will! need! to! be! managed.! Individuals! and! micro! businesses! are! unlikely! to! pay! for! expensive! resources.! The! relevant! players! must!work!together!to!facilitate!access!to!product!safety!tools.! ! Recommendation(#1'M!The!product!safety!community!will!need! to! ensure! accessible! resources! are! available! for! designers! and! producers.! * Recommendation( #2' M! ISO’s! consumer! policy! committee! (COPOLCO)! has! a! product! safety! working! group.! COPOLCO! should! seek! to! include! safety! of! raw! materials,! 3D! printer! use! and! product! outputs! within! ISO/TC! 261’s! scope! or! propose! a! separate!project.! * ‘Inherently'safe'design' measures'are'the'first'and' most'important'step'in'the' risk'reduction'process’.!! ! ISO!Guide!51' ©!Gail!Greatorex! Design(is(key**! ! Product! safety! can! best! be! achieved! at! the! design! stage! of! any! product.!! ! The! 2014! ISO! guide! on! safety! aspects! in! standards! says:! ‘Inherently! safe! design! measures! are! the! first! and! most! important! step! in! the! risk! reduction! process.! This! is! because! protective! measures! inherent! to! the! characteristics! of! the! product! or! system! are! likely! to! remain! effective,! whereas! experience! has! shown! that! even! wellMdesigned! guards! and! protective!devices!can!fail!or!be!violated,!and!information!for!use! might!not!be!followed.’!xx! ! Product! designers! need! to! include! product! safety! principles! in! their! designs.! ISO! Standard! 10377! Consumer' product' safety' –' Guidelines' for' suppliers! sets! out! all! the! relevant! principles! and! factors.! ! As! well! as! designing! safety! into! their! product! specifications,! designers!have!the!opportunity!–!and!responsibility!M!to!convey! 22 ! key! safety! messages! to! anyone! using! their! designs! and! those! using!the!products.! ! In!the!past,!designers!have!worked!directly!with!manufacturers! and! jointly! shared! responsibility! for! safe! design.! 3D! printing! allows!designers!to!develop!and!sell!their!designs!independently.! This!means!they!could!miss!out!on!the!training!and!collaborative! processes!that!inform!safe!design.! ! Recommendation( #3'M! The! 3D! printing! design! community! will! need!to!take!the!initiative!in!ensuring!consumer!safety!is!integral! to!product!design.!! ! Recommendation( #4' M! The! 3D! printing! design! community! should! establish! forums! for! conferring! and! collaborating! with! one!another!and!other!product!practitioners!on!safe!design.! ! ! Education( ! It!is!essential!to!raise!awareness!and!provide!new,!inexperienced! participants! in! the! consumer! product! market! with! knowledge! and! training.! As! with! resources,! avenues! will! need! to! be! expanded!for!learning!about!safe!product!design!and!the!factors! that!affect!production!integrity.! ! ! Some!existing!product!safety!design!education!programs!can!be! adapted!for!3D!product!designers.!And,!similarly,!product!safety! courses!for!manufacturers!will!be!adaptable!for!those!starting!to! produce!their!own!3D!printed!products.!! ! However,! it! will! be! necessary! to! develop! some! product! safety! education!and!guidance!materials!specific!to!3D!print!designers! and!producers.!! ! This!is!especially!important!for!designers,!prosumers!and!other! producers! working! on! their! own! and! without! the! support! of! a! collaborative!learning!environment.!! ! Some! of! the! same! education! and! resources! for! designers! and! new!3D!printing!producers!will!also!be!relevant!for!consumers.! ! Consumers!themselves!will!need!to!be!alert!to!the!possible!risks! associated!with!3D!printed!products.!! ! For! products! still! made! in! factories,! localised! manufacture! and! shorter! supply! chains! will! provide! effective! opportunities! to! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 23 ! educate! local! producers! and! enable! government! authorities! to! better!monitor!businesses!in!their!jurisdiction.! ! Recommendation(#5!M!Designers!should!be!a!primary!target!for! safety!education!campaigns.! ! Recommendation( #6' M! Academic,! private! and! government! organisations! will! need! to! develop! and! adapt! product! safety! education!and!guidance!materials!suitable!for!3D!print!designers! and!producers.!! ! Recommendation( #7' M! As! children! learn! 3D! printing,! schools! should!take!the!opportunity!to!teach!safety!in!product!design.! ! Strategic(actions( ! A! number! of! strategies! can! be! considered! to! help! manage! 3D! printing!product!safety.! ! Risk!management!M!For!products!still!made!in!factories,!localised! onshore! manufacture! and! shorter! supply! chains! will! facilitate! better!risk!management!by!small!businesses.!! ! Design!consultants!M!Consulting!services!in!product!safety!design! may! grow! to! support! budding! designers! who! don’t! have! the! ! requisite!background,!training!and!resources.!Such!services!can! readily!be!provided!online.! ! Design!theft!M!Product!designers!and!manufacturers!will!need!to! pay!even!more!attention!to!protecting!their!designs!against!theft! and!hacking.!! ! Social! media! M! The! internet! fosters! community! forums! M! individuals!and!consumer!groups!are!now!more!active!and!able! to!alert!others!to!safety!issues.!Any!rogue!parties!that!choose!to! exploit! consumers! by! selling! unsafe! products! run! the! risk! of! swift!exposure!and!business!shutdown.! ! Formal! remedies! M! To! counter! wilful! or! negligent! unsafe! design! and! product! supply,! government! authorities! will! need! to! consider! whether! current! remedies! are! applicable! in! the! new! market!model,!and!whether!any!strategic!or!regulatory!changes! are!needed.!! ! ! ( ( ©!Gail!Greatorex! 24 ! Overall(recommendations( ! As! well! as! the! specific! recommendations! above,! further! action! will!be!needed!by!the!3D!printing!industry!and!by!governments.! ! Recommendation( #8! M! The! 3D! printing! industry! (and! its! supporting!organisations)!should:! ! a) make! consumer! product! safety! a! priority! for! its! growing! market! ! b) draw! on! ISO! Standard! 10377! Consumer' product' safety' –' Guidelines'for'suppliers'to!inform!its!product!safety!strategies! ! c) engage! with! the! product! safety! community,! through! organisations! such! as! the! International! Consumer! Product! Health!and!Safety!Organisation! ! d) support! and! educate! its! customers! in! product! safety! –! including!prosumers,!new!product!supply!businesses!and!3D! print!shops! ! e) monitor!product!developments!for!safety! ! f) work! with! product! design! developers! and! design! schools! to! ! support!safe!design! ! g) monitor!the!safety!of!feedstock/filament!available!for!use!in! consumer! product! 3D! printers! and! actively! manage! associated!risks! ! Recommendation(#9!M!Government!agencies!will!need!to:! ! a) develop! ways! to! monitor! the! uptake! of! 3D! printing! by! consumers!and!small!business! ! b) advocate/regulate!standards!for!safety!of!feedstock! ! c) promote! inclusion! of! design! safety! into! schools! and! other! academic!programs! ! d) monitor,!assess!and!test!for!safety!of!3D!printed!products!in! the!marketplace! ! e) consider!the!need!to!amend!existing!laws!to!address!the!sale! of!unsafe!product!designs* ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 25 ! Conclusion& There'is'a'window'of' opportunity,'but'it'will' not'stay'open'for'long.' Gartner's first! ‘Hype' Cycle’' for' 3D' Printing! (published! August! 2014)! says! mainstream! consumer! adoption! will! take! time.! Although!3D!printing!is!evolving!rapidly,!‘Consumer!3D!printing! is!around!five!to!10!years!away!from!mainstream!adoption’,!says! Pete!Basiliere,!Research!Vice!President!at!Gartner.xxi! However,! Australian! futurist! Morris! Miselowski,! speaking! on! Australian!radio,!pointed!to!a!huge!rise!in!3D!printer!sales!during! 2014.!!He!noted!they!are!now!in!schools!and!universities,!and!in! use!in!all!kinds!of!manufacturing!and!production.!Although!most! people!have!not!yet!seen!a!3D!printer,!he!said!2015!would!be!the! year!where!the!technology!will!come!into!the!mainstream.!! ! Indeed,!Brian!Krassenstein!of!3Dprint.com!said!in!his!blog!article! Why' Experts' are' Likely' Underestimating' the' 2015' 3D' Printing' Market! on! 12! January,! 2015:! ‘There’s! plenty! of! competition! in! both! the! consumer! and! manufacturing! segments! of! the! market,! and!we!all!know!that!competition!generally!leads!to!lower!prices.! When!prices!drop!in!an!upcoming!market,!more!people!buy,!and! as!more!people!buy,!more!competition!enters!the!space.! ‘Certainly,! Gartner! and! other! research! firms! are! aware! of! the! direction!of!this!market.!I!just!feel!that!perhaps!they!have!been!a! little!bit!too!conservative!thus!far.’xxii ! If!the!impact!of!3D!printing!is!spoken!of!in!revolutionary!terms,! product! safety! practitioners! will! need! to! be! alive! to! the! new! issues.! ! Failure! to! do! so! will! allow! new! safety! problems! to! emerge!untreated!and!we!will!be!scrambling!to!address!them.!! ! This! white! paper! contains! a! range! of! strategies! to! address! the! impact! of! 3D! printing.! Many! others! will! emerge! as! the! market! evolves!and!we!explore!the!implications.!! ! There!is!a!window!of!opportunity,!but!it!will!not!stay!open!for! long!.!.!.!! ! ! ! * ©!Gail!Greatorex! * 26 ! Endnotes& * * ! i!The!Economist.!Special!Report:!Manufacturing!and!Innovation,!! Paul!Markillie,!21!April!2012! https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=7D41A34D6B9C1D65!1605&cid=7d41a34d6b9c1d65&ithint=file %2cpdf&app=WordPdf&authkey=!ANNW0edLU75Wdvc! ! ii!TNO!–!The!impact!of!3D!printing!on!supply!chain!management,!April!2014! http://3din.nl/wpMcontent/uploads/2014/02/TNOMWhitepaperM3MDMPrintingMandMSupplyMChainMManagementM AprilM2014Mweb.pdf! ! iii!DHL!Supply!chain!matters!–!What!3D!printing!means!for!you,!23!Oct!2012! https://www.dhlsupplychainmatters.dhl.com/innovation/article/237/3dMprintingMmeansMtoMyou! ! iv!The!Economist.!Special!Report:!Manufacturing!and!Innovation! Paul!Markillie,!21!April!2012! https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=7D41A34D6B9C1D65!1605&cid=7d41a34d6b9c1d65&ithint=file %2cpdf&app=WordPdf&authkey=!ANNW0edLU75Wdvc! ! vA!mini!industrial!revolution!on!the!way!with!3D!printing,!The!Canberra! Times,!25!June!2014! http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/a-mini-industrial-revolution-on-the-way-with-3d-printing-20140625zskc6.html ! vi!3D!printing!will!change!the!world,!Harvard!Business!Review,!March!2013! https://hbr.org/2013/03/3MdMprintingMwillMchangeMtheMworld/! ! vii!DHL!Supply!chain!matters!–!What!3D!printing!means!for!you,!23!Oct!2012! https://www.dhlsupplychainmatters.dhl.com/innovation/article/237/3dMprintingMmeansMtoMyou!! ! viii!The!Economist.!Special!Report:!Manufacturing!and!Innovation.!! Paul!Markillie.!21!April!2012.! https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=7D41A34D6B9C1D65!1605&cid=7d41a34d6b9c1d65&ithint=file %2cpdf&app=WordPdf&authkey=!ANNW0edLU75Wdvc! ! ! ix!Nevada!Broadercasting!to!Launch!“3D!Seller”!Software!on!Indiegogo,!! Add!Autonomy!to!3D!Printing!Marketplace,!3Dprint.com!! http://3dprint.com/37743/3dMsellerMsoftwareMannounced/! ! x! The!era!of!the!prosumer!–!3D!printing:!3Dprintingindustry.com:!Juho!Vesanto! http://3dprintingindustry.com/2012/10/19/theMeraMofMtheMprosumerM3dMprinting/! ! xi! Where!to!find!free!3D!CAD!models!for!3D!printing! http://3dprintingsystems.com/whereMtoMfindMfreeM3dMcadMmodelsMforM3dMprinting/! ! xii!The!impact!of!3D!printing!on!supply!chain!management,!TNO,!April!2014!! http://3din.nl/wpMcontent/uploads/2014/02/TNOMWhitepaperM3MDMPrintingMandMSupplyMChainMManagementM AprilM2014Mweb.pdf! ! xiii!An!introduction!to!3D!printing!from!someone!who!does!it!at!work,!Pro! Madefor.Me! http://pro.madefor.me/2014/11/10/anMintroductionMtoM3dMprintingMfromMsomeoneMwhoMdoesMitMatMwork/ * xiv!3D!printers!emit!potentially!hazardous!ultrafine!particles,!www.3Ders.org,! 21!July!2013! http://www.3ders.org/articles/20130721M3dMprintersMemitMpotentiallyMhazardousMultrafineMparticles.html! ! ! ! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 27 ! ! ! ! xv!The!Economist.!Special!Report:!Manufacturing!and!Innovation,!! Paul!Markillie,!21!April!2012! https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=7D41A34D6B9C1D65!1605&cid=7d41a34d6b9c1d65&ithint=file %2cpdf&app=WordPdf&authkey=!ANNW0edLU75Wdvc! ! xvi!3D!manufacturing!plant!opens!with!Holden,!Ford!and!Boeing!on!its!books,! The!Age,!10!October!2014! http://www.theage.com.au/itMpro/businessMit/3dMmanufacturingMplantMopensMwithMholdenMfordMandMboeingM onMitsMbooksM20141010M114g8z.html! ! xvii!3D!printing!and!the!future!supply!chain,!The!Strategic!Sourceror,!! 13!June!2014! http://www.strategicsourceror.com/2014/06/3dMprintingMandMfutureMsupplyMchain.html! ! xviii!3D!printing!will!change!the!world,!Harvard!Business!Review,!March!2013! https://hbr.org/2013/03/3MdMprintingMwillMchangeMtheMworld/! ! xix!3D!printing!will!change!the!world,!Harvard!Business!Review,!!March!2013! https://hbr.org/2013/03/3MdMprintingMwillMchangeMtheMworld/! ! Safety!aspects!–!guidelines!for!their!inclusion!in!standards,!ISO/IEC!Guide! 51:2014!! xx! ! xxi!Gartner!Says!Consumer!3D!Printing!Is!More!Than!Five!Years!Away,!Press! Release,!19!August!2014! http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2825417! ! xxii!‘Why!Experts!are!Likely!Underestimating!the!2015!3D!printing!Market’,!! 12!January!2015!! http://3dprint.com/34560/2015M3dMprintingMgartner/! ! ! ! ! ©!Gail!Greatorex! 28 About&Product&Safety&Solu1 1ons Product(Safety(Solutions(promotes(consumer(product(safety(and(design,(in( Australia(and(beyond( If#you’re#making,(importing#or#selling#consumer#products#there#can#be#traps,#like#recalled#and# banned#products.#Or#standards#that#have#to#be#met#before#you#can#sell.##Product#Safety#Solutions# can#help#guide#you#through#the#regulatory#maze.# # Our#website#provides#tips#for#product#designers,(makers(and(sellers(on#how#to#achieve# usability#and#the#best#safety#outcomes#for#all#products.# # If#you’re#advising#product#sellers#–#as#a#law#firm,#compliance#professional,#trade#association#or# the#like#–#our#website#will#help#point#you#in#the#right#direction#to#best#help#your#clients.# # And#for#everyone,#there’s#advice#to#help#manage#the#risks#of#everyday#things#that#we#all#use.# # www.productsafetysolutions.com.au# web postal phone email productsafetysolutions.com.au PO Box 156, Carnegie, Victoria 3163, Australia +61 404 20 99 00 [email protected]