نبذة مختصرة : The manufacturing industry is a key source of carbon emissions and needs to undergo structural transformation and upgrades to achieve carbon neutrality targets. In this context, 3D printing offers substantial potential for multiscale and on-demand production. However, current information regarding the production phase of 3D-printed products remains limited, necessitating in-depth assessments to obtain accurate data. This study aims to identify the optimal approach for leveraging 3D printing to effectively reduce carbon emissions in the manufacturing sector, taking the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) spray chamber as a representative case. A comparison was made between conventional machining and photopolymerization 3D printing technology for spray chamber manufacturing. Life cycle assessment results revealed that 3D printing can reduce carbon emissions by up to 88% per unit compared to conventional machining, primarily due to decreased electricity consumption. Additional environmental benefits are achieved beyond carbon emission reduction, including benefits for human health, ecosystem quality, and resource scarcity. Furthermore, five future scenarios in which 3D printing gradually replaces conventional manufacturing were simulated to predict carbon emission trends for producing ICP-MS spray chambers from 2020 to 2060. Greenhouse gas emissions can be effectively reduced, even with low replacement rates below 5%. This case study demonstrates that the partial replacement of traditional manufacturing processes with 3D printing is an effective measure to mitigate environmental impacts.
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