3D printers: hype or hope?

Goods manufactured with 3D printers can save resources in the production process and can reduce warehousing, transport costs and packaging. However, at the same time, the materials used are currently still restricted mainly to plastics and metals, and there is a danger that resource savings are cancelled out by the limited choice of materials and an associated increased use of certain feedstocks. To what extent savings can result and risks to the environment can arise in future depends on the applications for which the technology is employed.

These are the main findings of a study undertaken by Oeko-Institut on behalf of The Greens/European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament, coordinated by Reinhard Bütikofer. The scientists’ research provides an overview of what the technology can do at present, characterises potential uses for 3D printers, and analyses opportunities and risks from an environmental perspective.

New technologies must be evaluated comprehensively

In recent years there has been a steady rise in media euphoria over the new 3D printing technology, that is, the computer-aided assembly of layers of materials to make three-dimensional products. Some people are proclaiming the next industrial revolution. The sector is indeed experiencing rapid development, with growth rates of up to 30 per cent in 2011. Applications of 3D printers, or Additive Manufacturing (AM), range from the manufacture of medical products, car and aircraft components to the production of designer items.

“Despite the first rush of practical applications for this technology, we can now see that it is still in its infancy”, is how Dr. Hartmut Stahl, expert in material flow analysis at Oeko-Institut and author of the study, sums up the findings. “A lot of questions remain unanswered, particularly when evaluating the environmental potential for mitigating climate change and conserving resources”. Lower consumption of materials and savings in energy are possible in principle, but only if they are not counteracted by developments that produce opposite results.

Research needed on resource issues, energy requirements, waste management

Wood, for example, cannot be processed in 3D printers. If plastics were now to be used to manufacture products that were previously made of wood or other natural resources, this could have negative impacts on the environmental balance. Even if there were energy savings in the transportation and storage of conventional products, the increased energy needed in the manufacture of the raw materials could result in a larger ‘footprint’ in total.

It is also conceivable that products would be used for less time if consumers could easily ‘print out’ new versions for themselves again and again. This would then result in more materials being consumed instead of resources being conserved. In addition, disposal of the goods would make considerable demands on the recycling industry, especially for more complex 3D products combining different materials.

Nevertheless, in the future environmental benefits can be expected owing to reduced consumption of materials, thanks to material-saving design and resource-efficient manufacturing. For example, particularly light components can be manufactured in areas such as aircraft construction. Fitting these components then means that the vehicles or aircraft use less fuel. Dr. Stahl believes that a comprehensive evaluation is urgently needed in order to be able to better characterise the potential benefits of 3D printing technology for the environment and to develop this technology accordingly.

Oeko-Institut’s study “3D Printing – Risks and Opportunities”

Contact

Dr. Hartmut Stahl
Researcher in the Infrastructure & Enterprises Division
Oeko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology), Darmstadt office
Phone: +49 6151 8191-180
Email: h.stahl@oeko.de

Oeko-Institut is a leading independent European research and consultancy institute working for a sustainable future. Founded in 1977, the institute develops principles and strategies for ways in which the vision of sustainable development can be realised globally, nationally and locally. It has offices in three cities in Germany: Freiburg, Darmstadt and Berlin.

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