How 3D Printing Helps Reduce Climate Change Impact and Take Care of Our Planet

Climate change has been observed for almost a hundred years. Throughout the 20th century, average weather conditions in regions across the world changed dramatically. These changes include an increase in the global average air and ocean temperature, global sea levels, and a widespread reduction of snow and ice cover.

Both governmental authorities and corporations are concerned about the issue so that meaningful measures for counteracting climate change are being taken. You might be surprised but 3D printing can help reduce the impact of climate change.

The main impact is caused by the greenhouse effect, which is primarily the result of human activities and the manufacturing sector, one of the biggest carbon dioxide emitters, especially in Europe. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the situation is dire: the manufacturing industry emits an annual amount of 880 million tons of carbon dioxide.

Along with the impacts of climate change, general awareness of the issue has also risen over the past 20 years. Companies today take into account a product’s carbon footprint and set sustainable development goals.

When it comes to manufacturing, sustainability refers to the production, fabrication, and transportation of goods. 3D printing is the technology that is able to minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and optimizing the chain of production.

The planet-saving potential of 3D Printing

Additive manufacturing, popularly known as 3D printing, is the process of building objects layer-by-layer using various materials. According to a Delft University of Technology study, additive manufacturing will reduce global energy usage by 25% by 2050.

However, implementing the technology is a complex challenge, forcing companies to re-envision their manufacturing processes and adjust their values to sustainability goals.

The main attribute of 3D printing is that CAD files are fundamental for the technology. It entails uploading data to the internet for everyone to use it. So if someone has come up with a revolutionary design, it is possible to spread it around the world in a matter of minutes. But one should always remember to patent and protect their innovation properly.

Here is how 3D printing may help reduce the carbon footprint in manufacturing.

1. Reducing shipping requirements

Sending a CAD file for a person to assemble it on their own on the other half of the planet may be a minor advantage if you design coffee mugs, but for larger objects, it is a game-changer.

Shipping even a model version of a vehicle to a third party makes an impact on the environment. Transporting means packaging, storing, burning fuel, not to mention energy consumption, especially if a product requires specific temperature conditions. All this means leaving a carbon footprint. 3D printing can help avoid it.

2. Reducing waste and emissions

Smoke, pollution, toxic fumes, unused parts, expendable materials, byproducts derived from a production process — those are the companions of any industrial process. But a 3D printer builds objects of limitless complexity layer upon layer using plastics, alloys, or composites, with no cost limits. This excludes the need to pack parts individually to assemble later, thus, eliminating the need to get rid of used packing materials.

The same goes for pollution, which is significantly reduced with additive manufacturing, as one doesn’t have to weld, smelt, or burn components when producing something. Many industries, from defense to healthcare, are adopting 3D printing into their production lines.

3. Making products lighter

Light-weighting, especially in the car industry, is the ultimate goal of manufacturers to reduce fuel consumption, thus reducing a car’s carbon footprint. First of all, not all components in a car actually have to be made of metal. Second, additive manufacturing allows for the design of considerably lighter components. Third, it makes it possible to integrate several components into a single part, as a part is built in one piece, not in multiple smaller parts.

This potentially cuts the total number of parts required to be welded together at the assembly stage. Thanks to it, engineers may come up with highly innovative designs of parts with greater functionality that were impossible to produce before. Today, additive manufacturing makes producing, for example, lighter car engine parts possible. And, again, lighter vehicles means less fuel burnt, which means less carbon footprint left.

Combating climate change is a global effort that is gaining more and more momentum in manufacturing industries all over the world. Regulatory bodies in many countries now pay a lot of attention to how companies find their way around reducing emissions. The willingness to shift to environmentally-friendly means of production may soon determine a company’s chances to stay in business.