Can anyone tell me which type of respirator is used to protect against abs fumes?
There's a lot of talk about it being harmful now, and I'm considering buying one as my room does get fumy despite an exhaust fan running.
I'd like one that has changeable filters.
Something like this should work:
You'll also need an organic vapor filter cartridge that fits the respirator you buy. Something like this, though check to see it fits the above respirator.
I was looking too and saw this https://3dprintclean.myshopify.com/not sure how reputable it is, Otherwise HEPA filter and window fans......or move out of room into a garage
HEPA filters are designed to remove particulates and, so far as I know, do little or nothing to mediate vapors or fumes such as those that are emitted while 3D printing ABS. It seems like particulates do get released while 3D printing so a HEPA room filter or pre-filter in addition to an organic vapor respirator cartridge may be beneficial.
Reason I asked is that after about 4-5 years of printing, and particularly since running multiple printers, I've started to get a bad throat sensation.
Got really worried once all this news came out recently, and went down for a scan, seems all good but they want to check more just to see what it is.
Bought myself the best mask I could get locally, ABEK1+HF+Formaldehyde (whatever that means), and am noticing relief after using it for 3-4 days.
Of course it could be psychosomatic, but I like to think I'm reasonably level headed.
I've had a bathroom exhaust fan in the ceiling for some time, with a slight improvement, but not enough.
On the 3 machines I have one where I have completed Clark's hood with the fan and carbon filter working automatically, and that makes a difference too.
For me, I feel sure the fumes really are dangerous (at least safe to say they're not good for you) and I'll be wearing the mask at all times now.
I'll complete the hoods on my machines, but I'll design an outlet on the fan housing that allows me to connect a light corrugated hose and pipe the exhaust right up to my ceiling exhaust fan or even right outside.
I headed up a project to study VOC and particulate generation by 3D FDM printers and filament recycling systems. We found that if you desiccate ABS or Nylon to 25% or less RH at 70F then there are no detectable VOC's and the particle generation is near zero. The problem occurs when the filament has a higher moisture content. Our hypothesis is the water in moist filament turns to steam in the hot end which creates a large volume expansion causing the equivalent of micro-explosions as it exits the extruder. Particle counts for ABS and Nylon filaments stored at 60% RH were extremely high. We didn't check VOC generation at that level though.
If you want to drop particle generation down to near zero, store your filament below 25% RH. If you are still concerned tape a small 5 Watt blower to a vacuum cleaner HEPA filter and recirculate the air inside the print volume (assuming enclosed sides). Even when we had very high particle counts, modest recirculation through a HEPA filter was enough to bring particle counts to zero, which was much lower than the ambient room air counts.
What I've read on this issue is that HEPA doesn't pick up the nano sized particles emitted by ABS plastic.
It's said in some articles that these particles will attach to plain activated charcoal filters, even more so if passed over repeatedly by recirculating (scrubbing?) the printer enclosure air.
I'm wearing a mask now, and it's making a difference for sure, but not enough I feel.