Free calculator calculates VOC emissions during FDM printing

FDM 3D printing produces volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In indoor environments, this can quickly become a practical issue in terms of how much of these compounds end up in the air we breathe and what kind of ventilation is required. Developer Jere Saikkonen has created a free calculator for this purpose, which is designed to provide a rough estimate of the pollution levels and help with dimensioning the ventilation system.

The calculator is based on already known emission data for common FDM filaments. Saikkonen has compiled values from the literature and broken them down into individual compounds that are considered relevant. These include styrene and formaldehyde. Material profiles for ABS, PLA, nylon, HIPS, and PVA are stored. PETG and TPU are missing from the list, although they are widely used in the hobby sector.

One of the control variables is the air exchange rate. If you find the values output too high, you can run through various ventilation scenarios and deduce how much the air exchange would have to increase to reduce the calculated concentration. This makes the tool less suitable as a measuring device and more as a planning and comparison aid.

One limitation arises from the underlying model assumption. The calculator assumes that VOC emissions and removal are in equilibrium, i.e., that a constant concentration in the room air is established over a longer period of time. Such conditions do not usually occur in practice with FDM printing, as many print jobs are too short or the emission rate changes over time. This scenario is particularly realistic for very large or long-running print jobs. The calculation is deliberately cautious because, in case of doubt, it assumes higher concentrations than are actually achieved.