3D PRINTING AND CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY

Recommendations for Action

Source

The White Paper: ‘3D Printing and Consumer Product Safety’ was published in January 2015

The white paper was written by Gail Greatorex, a Melbourne, Australia based product safety consultant. It explores the new world of consumer level 3D printing and the ways it can impact the safety of consumer goods.

The following slides list the white paper’s recommendations which call on the 3D print community, business, industry, educators and governments to explore ways of ensuring safe products in this new consumer market

Recommendation 1

The product safety community will need to ensure accessible resources are available for designers and producers

Recommendation 2

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

Recommendation 3

The 3D printing design community will need to take the initiative in ensuring consumer safety is integral to product design

Recommendation 4

The 3D printing design community should establish forums for conferring and collaborating with one another and other product practitioners on safe design

Recommendation 5

Designers should be a primary target for safety education

Recommendation 6 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 As children learn 3D printing, schools should take the opportunity to teach safety in product design

Recommendation 8 a-b

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

Recommendation 8 c-d

The 3D printing industry (and its supporting organisations) should:

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

Recommendation 8 e-g

The 3D printing industry (and its supporting organisations) should: e) monitor product developments for product 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 a-b

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

Recommendation 9 c-e Government agencies will need to: 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

White paper

The white paper is available free on the Product Safety Solutions website, along with a range of other materials on 3D printing . . . productsafetysolutions.com.au

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Please share this slideshow, and any of our other resources on 3D printing and consumer product safety

Thanks

Gail GreatorexDirector, Product Safety SolutionsMelbourne, Australia