3D printing is a fun and rewarding hobby, but it also requires regular maintenance and care. Like any machine, your 3D printer has parts that wear out over time and need to be replaced. But how can you tell when it's time to change them? In this article, we'll go over some common signs of 3D printer parts failure and how to fix them.
One of the most annoying and frequent problems with 3D printing is nozzle clogs. These occur when the filament gets stuck or burned inside the nozzle, preventing the extrusion of material. Nozzle clogs can cause poor print quality, underextrusion, blobs, stringing, and even damage to the hotend. To prevent nozzle clogs, you should clean your nozzle regularly with a needle or a wire brush, and use good quality filament. If your nozzle is too worn or damaged, you may need to replace it with a new one.
install a pre extruder filter, example like a holder with sponge. it will give you a piece of mind to prevent unwanted material to clog the nozzle
Visual inspections and creating a calendar for proper regular maintenance definitely is the wawy to go. Having a stock of MRO is also a very good practice.
Limpar bicos com escova ou agulha deve ser o último caso, e geralmente quando se torna necessário é sinal de necessidade de troca do componente. Um bico em bom estado na maioria das vezes se torna limpo ao se executar o método at?mico. O método at?mico basicamente envolve aquecer o bico, passar material manualmente pela extrusora, retirar até que o filamento saia limpo. Para finalizar, se realiza o cold pull, onde se deixa a temperatura abaixar, até que o material fique mais rígido porém ainda levemente elástico, em seguida se deve puxar de forma firme o filamento. Se realizado corretamente o filamento que sai fica com o formato da geometria interna da extrusora, limpo de qualquer obstru??o. Caso se observe ranhuras, deve-se trocar o bico.
Another common issue with 3D printing is bed leveling. This refers to the adjustment of the distance between the nozzle and the print bed, which affects the first layer of your prints. A properly leveled bed ensures good adhesion, smoothness, and accuracy of your prints. To level your bed, you should use a piece of paper or a feeler gauge to check the gap between the nozzle and the bed at different points, and adjust the screws or knobs accordingly. If your bed is warped, dented, scratched, or dirty, you may need to replace it with a new one.
Do a corner bed leveling and cross reference back to center nozzle to bed gap and refer to instruction. Rule of thumb is by using piece of paper. Example guidelines by Creality is 0.1mm gap. You can make your life easier by using Hall Effect sensor for having bed mesh leveling populated data.
The belts of your 3D printer are responsible for moving the axes and the extruder. They need to be tight enough to avoid slipping, but not too tight to cause stress or friction. Belt tension problems can cause layer shifting, ghosting, ringing, and inaccurate dimensions of your prints. To check your belt tension, you should pluck them like a guitar string and listen to the sound. They should produce a low-pitched tone, not a high-pitched one. If your belts are too loose or too tight, you should adjust them with the screws or pulleys. If your belts are frayed, cracked, or stretched, you may need to replace them with new ones.
To be mathematically precise to find out exact frequency, you may use Mersenne's equation 22. obtain your ideal lbs per span value from data sheet of the belt tension you purchase. Take the highest db frequency as your value. Using luggage gauge to pull to ideal tension and measure the tone is another way of sanity check to avoid frame from interfering your measurement data.
The fans of your 3D printer are essential for cooling the hotend, the extruded filament, and the electronics. They prevent overheating, warping, sagging, and curling of your prints. Fan failures can cause thermal runaway, filament jams, poor bridging, and reduced print quality. To check your fans, you should listen to them and look at them. They should spin smoothly and quietly, not make rattling or grinding noises. If your fans are dirty, you should clean them with a brush or a compressed air can. If your fans are broken or damaged, you may need to replace them with new ones.
One thing to note is you need to find out about Airflow vs static pressure. High airflow does not mean you will get targeted air to the area you want and vice versa. The goal of upgrade fan should be resolving heat creep issue and getting desired cooling time for filament to avoid wrap, stringing, curling and etc issue.
The extruder of your 3D printer is the part that feeds the filament into the hotend. It consists of a drive gear, an idler, a spring, and a lever. Extruder issues can cause clicking noises, filament grinding, underextrusion, and inconsistent extrusion. To check your extruder, you should measure the actual extrusion length and compare it with the expected one. You can do this by marking a 100 mm section of filament and feeding it into the extruder, then measuring the remaining length. If there is a significant difference, you should calibrate your extruder steps per mm. If your extruder parts are worn or broken, you may need to replace them with new ones.
The controller board of your 3D printer is the brain that controls the motors, sensors, heaters, and fans. It communicates with your computer or SD card and executes the commands from the firmware. Controller board errors can cause random resets, freezes, glitches, and malfunctions of your 3D printer. To check your controller board, you should look for signs of physical damage, such as burns, cracks, or loose connections. You should also update your firmware to the latest version and check for compatibility issues. If your controller board is faulty or outdated, you may need to replace it with a new one.
check your Vref of your stepper driver to avoid under-extrude, over extrude issue and avoid stepper motor of overcurrent, leading to overheat and failure issue. Outdated board does not mean you must acquire a upgraded board, it might just mean you missing out new feature.
Recognizing signs like print imperfections, extrusion problems, or mechanical issues such as loose belts or worn bearings is vital for timely 3D printer part replacement. Regularly monitoring and addressing issues like nozzle clogs, uneven heating in the bed, or electrical malfunctions helps maintain optimal performance. Scheduled replacements, especially for components with recommended lifespans, contribute to preventing major problems and extending the printer's overall lifespan.