Ultimate Guide To 3d Printer Maintenance: Must-Have Steps

Posted by MasonMiller on May 4th, 2023

Ultimate Guide To 3d Printer Maintenance: Must-Have Steps 

3D printers are the best way to make your parts, but they're not exactly maintenance-free. A 3D printer requires more attention and care than many other machines in your office. This is because it runs on plastic—a material that's sensitive to heat and moisture. If you don't keep tabs on your machine and its surroundings, you risk damaging or even ruining it forever. So if you want to keep getting reliable prints out of your 3D printer for years to come, follow these simple maintenance tips: 

Cleaning And Lubricating 

Pros: allows for smooth operation, and reduces wear and tear. 

Best lubricant: PTFE grease also known as white grease, is the best choice for most 3d printer maintenancetasks because it does not melt at high temperatures or become sticky in humid environments as some other lubricants do. It's also waterproof, which means it won’t wash away when cleaning your 3D printer's plastic parts. 

How much? You'll want about a dime-sized amount per axis rod/shaft/gear pair where two parts move against each other; this should be enough for most applications unless you're working with exceptionally large components trends such as those found on very large printers. If possible, try applying this amount directly onto an applicator brush instead of using your fingers--this will help ensure even coverage throughout each part without leaving any excess behind once all surfaces have been covered by white grease. 

Calibrating 

When you first start using a new 3D printer, it's important to calibrate it before printing. You can calibrate the extruder, bed, and nozzle all at once or separately. To calibrate the extruder: 

1. Make sure that your printer is connected to a computer via a USB cable and powered on. 

2. Open Simplify3D's Preflight tab in the main window and click on "Calibration" under Tools & Utilities. The following screen should appear: 

3. Click on Begin Calibration.A dialog box will pop up asking if you want to save these settings as default; click Yes if this is what you want so they'll be applied every time this calibration process is run later on without having users having to go through each step manually again themselves each time they want their printers calibrated properly again before starting any new prints off right away using those same settings automatically every single time. 

Testing The Extruder

The extruder is part of the 3D printer that melts plastic filament and pushes it into the hot end. It's responsible for creating your print, so if something goes wrong with your extruder, you may have a hard time getting good results out of your machine. Find more interesting information about how does robotic process automation differ from intelligent automation here. 

To test if your extruder is working properly: 

1. Turn on your 3D printer and wait until it has reached operating temperature. 

2. Use a piece of filament about 2 inches long to check whether it feeds through smoothly without jamming or catching on anything inside the hot-end assembly. 

Removing And Installing Parts 

You should be able to remove and install parts with ease. If you're having trouble, it could be because your printer is not set up properly or because you are missing the necessary tools. Remove the print head from your 3D printer by loosening its jam nut and then pulling it out of its holder. This will allow you access to clean both sides of the nozzle using compressed air or rubbing alcohol. You may also wish to clean around where the filament meets with its guides inside this area; if so, use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol before reattaching everything back together with the new filament. 

Washing The Build Plate And Nozzle 

The build plate and nozzle are two of the most important parts of your 3D printer. You should clean them regularly, at least once a week, or whenever you notice that prints aren't sticking to the surface as well as they used to. There are many ways to wash your 3D printer's build plate and nozzle, but we recommend using warm water with mild soap--the same method you'd use on dishes if you were washing dishes by hand. 

Soap is helpful because it helps remove grease from food residue on the surface of both areas or even just dust. If possible, try not to use any harsh chemicals such as bleach or ammonia because these could damage plastic parts over time. Using a soft cloth or cotton swab dipped in warm water and soap solution will help clean off any debris from either part of your 3D printer's assembly--just make sure not too much pressure is applied while cleaning.