Safe Use of 3D Printing in Higher Education Webinar Recording

Earn 1 Contact Hour

Member $99 | Nonmember $125 | Student $25

Additive manufacturing, or 3-dimensional (3D) printing, is a valuable tool that has transformed research, instruction, and the student experience in higher education. As with so many new technologies, there are unintended consequences and safety considerations that must be managed in higher education settings. Research shows that steps can be taken to mitigate these unintended consequences and allow users to leverage the innovative capabilities of 3D printing safely with fewer impacts on human health. However, on most college campuses, it is not unusual to find 3D printers in such places as classrooms, makerspaces, libraries, labs, and even residence halls. As a result, 3D printers may be in settings where best practices for safe use may not be well understood or implemented. Indeed, 3D printing may have become so prolific on many college campuses that it can be difficult to track 3D printer usage and support the safe use of these technologies effectively.

In this course, we will provide an overview of the variety of 3D printing technologies being used on college campuses along with their general safety concerns. Focused discussion time will look at the research on 3D printing emissions including an introduction to aerosol formation and characteristics from material fusion and vat photopolymerization printers as well as the potential health impacts resulting from exposure to these emissions. Best practices for mitigating exposures will be described related to selection and purchasing, printer location, and ventilation during operation.

Learning Objectives

After this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Describe the unintended consequences and safety considerations related to 3D printing.
• Discuss challenges faced in managing 3D printing in higher education environments.
• Evaluate best practices and recommendations in managing 3D printer safety.
• Integrate new resources and strategies into their own 3D printing safety management programs.

Presenters

Cristi Bell-Huff, PhD
Dr. Cristi Bell-Huff is a Research Manager with Chemical Insights Research Institute. She manages and tracks strategic research initiatives and develops internal and external technical documents and summaries of findings. Dr. Bell-Huff previously served as a Lecturer and the Director of Faculty and Student Training in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. She has also been an engineering faculty member at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan. She holds a PhD and MS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, an MA in Education from the University of Michigan, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Mark Wilson, MSPH, PhD, CIH
Dr. Mark Wilson is the Director of Exposure Science within Chemical Insights Research Institute of Underwriters Laboratories Inc. His work aims to characterize and/or model exposures associated with various occupational and environmental scenarios and to evaluate potential health risks. Dr. Wilson received a PhD in Toxicology and a Master’s in Industrial Hygiene from Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and has held the CIH certification since 2017.

Qian Zhang, PhD
Dr. Qian Zhang is a research scientist at Chemical Insights Research Institute of UL Research Institutes. Her research focuses on the measurement of particle and chemical emissions from emerging technologies, like 3D printing and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). Dr. Zhang addresses aerosol characterization, human toxicity impact, and evaluation of processes for reducing human exposure. She holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.