How to Look After Your 3D Printer!

Your 3D Printer

There are a lot of things that you need to consider if you are thinking about getting a 3D printer. At the very top of that list is how you are going to look after your 3D printer.

Of course, you should be getting a professional in to look at it every so often, but the real maintenance comes from the level of care you give it before and after each use. 

1. Use a high-quality filament 

This can be a vital step in making sure that you are getting the highest quality results from your 3D printer. You will also find that a cleaning filament can help clean out your machine without too many problems. By using a top-quality 3D printing filament, you are more likely to find that your machine gives you a better output and more pleasing results. 

2. Preventive Maintenance

The last thing that you want is for your printer to break halfway through a build. It can be frustrating, and it can turn what is already a long process into an even longer one. You will find that there are a huge number of virtues in ensuring that you maintain your machine regularly, including cleaning it and fixing or, better still, replacing any components that are showing excessive wear. 

3. Belt care 

Most 3D printers use belts to operate correctly. Over time, these belts can become loose and sag. This means that you might begin to notice that builds become less precise, and you lose quality. You might find that by ensuring that these belts are tight before every build, you are making sure that each build is executed precisely and without error. 

4. Nozzle care 

You need to make sure that you are looking after the nozzle on your 3D printer. A lot of people tend to wait until this is clogged to clean it, but in reality, you should be cleaning it after every use for the best results every time. This can be something that you might feel is not necessary after small builds, but after far larger projects are completed, you must clean your printer’s nozzle every time. 

5. Calibration process 

You should make sure that you frequently run your 3D printer’s calibration process. This is another step that goes a long way to ensure that you are getting peak results every time. There is very little point in having a badly calibrated printer, as it can affect builds and the health of an expensive machine. To stay on top of this, you should ensure that you are calibrating semi-regularly and before any big builds. 

To wrap everything up

You will find that by making sure that you are caring for your 3D printer more carefully, you will gett the best results every time, helping your printer to operate at peak performance for a longer amount of time and therefore allowing you to get your money’s worth out of what is undeniably an extraordinary piece of tech. 

Your 3D Printer article and permission to publish here provided by Carol Trehearn. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on February 20, 2023.