3D printing and Consumer Product Safety - A3DMA€¦ · ©!Gail!Greatorex!!!!! Gail!Greatorex!has!a!passion!for!product!safety!and!good!product! design.!!!...

3D Printing and

Consumer Product Safety White Paper

January 2015

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©!Gail!Greatorex!

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!!!!!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!!!!!!!

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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.!

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©!Gail!Greatorex!

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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*

*Addressing&the&emerging&challenges&................................................&21&

Proposals*and*Recommendations*........................................................*22**Conclusion&.......................................................................................&26&&Endnotes&.........................................................................................&27&

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Abstract&

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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.!!

3D&printing&and&consumer&product&safety&

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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.!!

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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…&&!

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!leadMtimes!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!!

‘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.!

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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!!!!! !

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!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.

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.

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.

“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 2014v

( (

!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'mini7

industrial'revolution.'''!

Mike!de!Souza,!CEO!!Australian!3D!Manufacturing!

Association!

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(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!

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.!!! !

Gail'Greatorex'at'the'2014'National'Manufacturing'

Week'Expo,'Sydney,'Australia'

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!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! partMprinting!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!local! provider.! Any! business! can! set! up! anywhere! to! make!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.!!!!

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Excerpt'from'3D(Printing(Systems’'websitexi!( (

!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!

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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.!!* *

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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Extract'from'Pro'Madefor.Me''

–'An'introduction'to'3D'printing'from''someone'who'does'it'at'workxiii*

*

(I f ( you ’ re ( des ign ing ( i t ems ( to (be (3d (pr in ted , ( (

here ( are (a ( few ( th ings ( to ( cons ider : (((

1. 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.'''

2. 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).'''

3. 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.'''

4. 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)''!

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(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.!!!! !

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&

Democratisation&of&production&and&supply&&!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!

! Parents!will!make! things! for! their! kids! and!may!not! realise!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.!! *

‘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!

Product&safety&in&a&changing&market?&

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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!industrialMsized!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!.!.!.!

‘(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.’*

* *

‘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'

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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!

Addressing&the&emerging&challenges&

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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.!*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!

‘Inherently'safe'design'measures'are'the'first'and'most'important'step'in'the'

risk'reduction'process’.!!!

ISO!Guide!51'

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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!

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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.!!!!( (

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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* !

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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!.!.!.!!

!!!

* *

Conclusion&

!

There'is'a'window'of'opportunity,'but'it'will'not'stay'open'for'long.'

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**

!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/TNOMWhitepaperM3MDMPrintingMandMSupplyMChainMManagementMAprilM2014Mweb.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-20140625-zskc6.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/TNOMWhitepaperM3MDMPrintingMandMSupplyMChainMManagementMAprilM2014Mweb.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!

!!!!

Endnotes&

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!!!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/3dMmanufacturingMplantMopensMwithMholdenMfordMandMboeingMonMitsMbooksM20141010M114g8z.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/!

!xx!Safety!aspects!–!guidelines!for!their!inclusion!in!standards,!ISO/IEC!Guide!51:2014!!!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/!

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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#

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