this post was submitted on 04 May 2025
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[–] megopie@lemmy.blahaj.zone 118 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

I don’t think the 3d printers out there are a significant producer of plastic waste in the grand scheme of things. They can actually prevent a lot of waste by making replacement parts or fixing something to meet a new use case.

But the narrative that they were going to revolutionize everything comes out of this idea that things are generally improved by the production of more stuff, more niche gizmos and doodads. It is a facet of the thinking behind over consumption.

Often that kind of thinking even gets in the way of implementing solutions to real problems. Much easier to sell people on an ineffective solution based in more stuff than a solution that requires them to alter their life style or accept a little inconvenience.

3d printers are just tools, but the idea that new tools are all that is needed to solve issues is a huge problem.

[–] straightjorkin@lemmy.world 33 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Most of the guys I know who have 3d printers are so eager to have someone ask them to make a specific thing for them on the 3d printer, and it's always really practical makes.

[–] TheRealKuni@midwest.social 17 points 4 days ago (1 children)

That’s me. Sort of. Don’t get me wrong, my wife is rapidly running out of room in her office for all the cute animals I have printed for her (that she didn’t ask for, I just surprise her with them sometimes 😅).

But I’ve rapidly reached the stage where I want to print but have covered most of my own needs for printed stuff. So any time anyone asks if I can print something, I’m thrilled.

[–] straightjorkin@lemmy.world 8 points 4 days ago

I mean, making cute animals is part of most hobbies. I have created more little animals with crochet than I can count, and I don't necessarily see 3d printing as anymore wasteful than crochet

[–] nieminen@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yeah I've done a couple prints for friends or relatives. My most recent print is a simple miny peg-chess set so I can learn from my chess books with a physical board and pieces.

Not exactly practical, but still useful.

I've successfully solved several real life problems with my printer, and it's always nice to find something practical to make or fix.

[–] Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Is there a reason the board is 3 colours?

[–] nieminen@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

So that's a fun story. The light squares and pieces are all printed from the same color changing filament.

I printed all the squares first, after putting them in, I realized I was missing one. And I was already printing the pieces. After removing several of the squares from the board in preparation for replacing them, I found the one I thought I lost (or didn't print). Sadly removing the squares ruined several of them. So I was locked into replacing with newly printed squares. And because it's color changing filament, they're different from the second print.

Anywho. Long, boring, (turns out not fun at all) story. But I thought it looked pretty cool in the end.

[–] uninvitedguest@lemmy.ca 4 points 4 days ago

For 3D chess?

[–] AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee 3 points 4 days ago

IDK, but it certainly looks aesthetically pleasing, to me at least.

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 days ago

this idea that things are generally improved by the production of more stuff, more niche gizmos and doodads. It is a facet of the thinking behind over consumption.

Yeah like look at all the consumer tech we have now, and are we any happier? There's a cruel optimism to chasing these gewgaws.

There's that, and also looking at "technology" (in the general sense) as this messianic thing that will eventually save us all if we just keep accelerating and inventing things and crashing forward into the future — we'll eventually tumble into the beautiful green glade at the end of history where nothing hurts and all is harmonious — all without ever having to do any messy introspection or trying to solve our problems with what we have right now.

Anyway it's foolish. But I blame the owners more than the consumers.

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[–] verdare@beehaw.org 106 points 5 days ago (3 children)

I highly doubt that 3D printing of all things is making any meaningful contribution to the microplastics problem. Plastics are absolutely everywhere, so it feels weird to pin blame on a small group of enthusiasts just making silly shit at very low volumes.

[–] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 85 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I fucken repair shit with 3D printed parts so that I don't need to buy new shit.

[–] Prandom_returns@lemm.ee 7 points 5 days ago (2 children)

How often do you break things that can only be repaired with 3D-printed parts? I once printed a fridge handle that was a very specific shape. Other than that it's zip-ties or glue.

[–] realbadat@programming.dev 8 points 4 days ago

Its more often that I get my hands on something in need of minor repair, perhaps a part. Newer devices arent always easy either - I've had trouble finding parts for a robo vac thats 5 yrs old, for example.

[–] Truscape@lemm.ee 6 points 4 days ago (8 children)

Smaller electronics that rely on special plastic clasps or hinges, think ITX computer cases or something like a game console or laptop. 3D printers are nice because then you don't have to play Ebay part roulette or hope someone manufactures the particular part that snapped in half.

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[–] riskable@programming.dev 36 points 5 days ago

Not only that but most 3D printing is done with PLA which doesn't generate meaningful microplastics. I mean, it does but they only last a short time out in the wild. A study funded by the state of California found that PLA will last up to three years of left out in the environment (e.g. not in a trash dump).

Three years is nothing. Also consider that many animals can eat and digest PLA. Furthermore, if it ends up in your body it will eventually be broken down.

The real microplastics problem comes from tires and plastics like ABS that are used in f'ing everything. ABS microplastics last like 400 years or something like that.

Other plastics last even longer but the studies I've looked at all suggest the same thing: Tires and ABS.

Even PET water bottles aren't as bad because they only last 80-100 years (until *fully" broken down). That sounds like a long time but also consider that PET fibers are mostly inert and don't seem to absorb and re-release nasty things like ABS.

Don't get me wrong: PET microplastics (which mostly consist of tiny fibers from textiles—not from bottles) are 100% a problem. They're just a fraction of the problem of everything else.

For reference, the biggest problem with PET fibers is that they float and can be carried by the wind. That means they tend to settle on top of soil which causes it to absorb more heat and retain less moisture... Requiring more watering. Whereas the butawhateverthefucktoxicshit that tires break down into can result in soil that's harmful to life (in general). Enough of it and nothing will grow at all.

That's why you rarely see weeds sprouting up from kids playgrounds that were filled with chopped up car tires. Well, that and the fact that they can get really hot.

[–] infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 33 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (4 children)

It's the individual responsibility argument of environmentalism all over again. It's mostly large corporations dictating law to do very intentional things at often incomprehensible scales that is responsible for the vast majority of pollution, and it's those same large corporations which promulgated the notion that environmentalism is everyone's equal responsibility and if you don't recycle your plastic bottles or drink through a paper straw you're the problem.

This isn't to say that individuals should not be environmentally conscientious, but it shifts the blame to be woefully incongruous with reality and leads to individualist virtue contests like this post.

[–] nomugisan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 5 days ago (1 children)

It's not that deep I just wanted to satyrize 3d printer enthusiasts cause it's funny

[–] infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 7 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Oh yeah no shade on you, it made good ground for thought/discussion.

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[–] infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 73 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

This seems a bit strawman to me, no? The people who are doing crazy builds with hundreds of parts are often doing it specifically for your social media impression. Most of the stuff I print on my Prusa is small parts for my bikes or my car. Little missing pieces of fixtures around the house. If I'm ever printing something feckless it's because a friend really wanted a 3d articulated slug. I will say though, the waste plastic from edges, supports, failed builds, etc adds up over time and it's dead-end waste like most other plastic. I have several paper grocery bags full of the stuff. But that's exactly why I don't like printing feckless crap.

[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 20 points 5 days ago (2 children)

I've seen a video of someone experimentally recycling that into new filament. Unfortunately, there's probably not a commercial product for that.
Also, if I recall correctly, they had an issue with keeping it at constant width.

[–] ignotum@lemmy.world 14 points 5 days ago

There are a couple of commercial solutions out there, and the fancier ones have sensors that measure the width and makes adjustments on the fly

They are quite pricey though, the cheapest one i found (a couple of years ago) was priced at like 10k$

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[–] nomugisan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 57 points 5 days ago (6 children)

I don't hate 3d printers I think they're an awesome technology, but enthusiasts sure love printing bullshit

[–] gaja@lemm.ee 33 points 5 days ago (5 children)

It's easier to print bullshit than to learn cad. I'm learning to model by printing gridfinity organizers. It's easy and practical. I waste less time searching for junk and waste more time modeling the bins. 👍

[–] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I think at least 80% of my printing is organizers.

1000051034

1000051036

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[–] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 10 points 5 days ago

but enthusiasts sure love printing bullshit

Back in my day, 3D printing enthusiasts printed stuff to tweak their 3D printers. 3D printers print prints for printer printer's printers.

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[–] Anomalocaris@lemm.ee 4 points 3 days ago

most 3d printing is done with PLA which doesn't create microplastics.

although other 3d printing materials can create.

[–] pixeltree@lemmy.blahaj.zone 25 points 4 days ago

I like 3d modeling cute lil creatures and printing them ;_;

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

What's that glove thingy good for?

[–] quetzaldilla@lemmy.world 32 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

It's a cast for injuries.

Now you tell me what the bottom thing is supposed to be.

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 41 points 4 days ago (6 children)

It's an impossibly large gearbox. Even smaller ones would take decades of turning the first cog to move the last one.

[–] Waffle@lemm.ee 2 points 3 days ago

Thank you. I've seen this post so many times, and this is the first time someone's said what that was.

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[–] kaidezee@lemmy.ml 5 points 4 days ago

I like 3d printers because they allow me to make my mechanical contraptions extremely fast and with ease comparing to, say, cutting them from wood. None of the stuff I make is going to revolutionize the world, but that was never the goal for me.

[–] Jumuta@sh.itjust.works 14 points 5 days ago

the most useful things I've made with 3d printers are tiny, I feel like there are better tools for making larger things

[–] Xirup@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I MUST see a video of those gears running

[–] Bbbbbbbbbbb@lemmy.world 29 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Iirc thats a device that exponentially turns slower and slower. Something like gear 1 turns every second and the last gear will move 1 tooth every 100 billion years or something stupid like that

[–] ShellMonkey@lemmy.socdojo.com 8 points 4 days ago

Conversely, turn the gear at the other end and see the first one move at warp speed for a second before it all comes undone or friction welds itself in place.

[–] khaleer@sopuli.xyz 9 points 5 days ago (2 children)

People often use biodegradabble printing substances so that's not that big of an issue. (Sometimes)

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 18 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

I thought for a long time that PLA was biodegradable, but turns out it isnt really. It doesnt compost in nature, it just breaks apart into microplastic. It needs active heated industrial composting to actually degrade into something harmless.

[–] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 8 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Yes, almost all store bought items that are "bio-degradable" will not degrade in nature and require industrial compost facilities. You'll often see warnings like:

Biodegradable^*^

^*where^ ^facilities^ ^exist^

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[–] moonlight@fedia.io 14 points 5 days ago (1 children)

This is a common misconception. PLA is technically compostable industrially, but it will be very slow to break down naturally if you just leave it outside. It can take about 80 years, which is a lot better than other plastics, but it's a bit misleading that it's called biodegradable. There are true biodegradable filaments like PHA, but they're a lot less common.

That being said, 3D printing is actually really useful, and not a significant part of the plastic waste problem.

[–] riskable@programming.dev 9 points 5 days ago (2 children)

PLA microplastics take three years. That 80-years figure you've got in your brain is for PET:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166445X25001547#%3A%7E%3Atext=In+fact%2C+slower+degradation+rates%2C%28European+Bioplastics%2C+2023%29.

(BTW: That study is brand new! From a few days ago.)

See also: https://cen.acs.org/materials/polymers/biodegradable-polymers-make-microplastics/102/i37#%3A%7E%3Atext=In+the+open+environment%2C+PLA%2Cover+another+several+years+%28Sci.

There's some confusion about how PLA breaks down because there's remnants after the 3-5 years where it's not detectable anymore. Those remnants are not microplastics at that point. They're just the base components (e.g. lactic acid) that can last a little bit longer.

Some colorants can last a really long time but I haven't looked into those as much as I have plastics.

BTW: The "sparkly bits" in "silk" filament is just mica powder (iron). It looks like it might be harmful but it's not.

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