Environmental assessment/evaluation of 3D printing and 3D printing with wood-PLA composites : case study

Krapež, Daša (author), Oblak, Leon (author), Kitek Kuzman, Manja (author), Glavonjić, Branko (author), Bizjak Govedič, Teja (author)

In recent years, additive manufacturing has become a regular process in various industries, and consequently there is an increasing need to evaluate the environmental aspects of this technology and its associated materials. In this paper, comparative cradle-to-grave life cycle assessments between a conventional product and a 3D-printed alternative made of polylactic acid (PLA) and PLA-wood material were investigated based on the standard ISO 14044:2006. The environmental impact of each product was quantified for 18 categories. The goal of life cycle assessment (LCA) was to determine whether the use of 3D printed PLA/PLA-wood products can be a sustainable alternative to traditional metal products. The paper presents a case study in which a comparative LCA was conducted. The results show that a metal part manufactured using conventional subtractive processes (milling, drilling, welding, etc.) has a higher environmental impact compared to 3D-printed alternatives made from renewable materials. However, there are many sub-issues that need to be adequately addressed.

• Language: English
• Keywords: life cycle assessment, 3D printing, environmental impact, carbon footprint, wood-PLA composite
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2024
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 49-58
• Numbering: Vol. 75, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-154925
• UDC: 674.816
• ISSN on article: 0012-6772
• DOI: 10.5552/drvind.2024.0107
• COBISS.SI-ID: 188161283
• Publication date in RUL: 11.03.2024

KRAPEŽ, Daša, OBLAK, Leon, KITEK KUZMAN, Manja, GLAVONJIĆ, Branko and BIZJAK GOVEDIČ, Teja, 2024, Environmental assessment/evaluation  of 3D printing and 3D printing with  wood-PLA composites : case study. Drvna industrija : Znanstveno stručni časopis za pitanja drvne tehnologije [online]. 2024. Vol. 75, no. 1, p. 49–58. [Accessed 18 May 2025]. DOI 10.5552/drvind.2024.0107. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=154925

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Drvna industrija : Znanstveno stručni časopis za pitanja drvne tehnologije
• Shortened title: Drv. ind.
• Publisher: Šumarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatsko šumarsko društvo, Croatiadrvo, d. d., Exportdrvo, p. o.
• ISSN: 0012-6772
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2858754

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Croatian
• Title: Ekološka procjena/evaluacija 3D printanja i 3D printanja s drvo-PLA kompozitima : studija slučaja
• Keywords: ocena življenjskega cikla, 3D tiskanje, vplivi na okolje, ogljični odtis, lesno-plastični kompozit

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0015
• Name: Les in lignocelulozni kompoziti