WHITE PAPER
Formlabs Logo

Aging Nylon 12 White Powder before first use

Aging Nylon 12 White Powder before first use

Certain geometries, specifically those whose cross-sections do not change significantly along the Z-axis, do not print as successfully with fresh Nylon 12 White Powder. If you plan to print those types of models, age your powder after tuning the bed temperature. The aging process only needs to be performed once to create sufficient recycled powder for the first print.

An example of a model whose cross-section does not change along the Z-axis.

Notice:

Skipping the aging process increases the risk of print failures and surface defects on printed parts that do not change significantly along the Z-axis.

Aging powder

To age Nylon 12 White Powder:

  1. Ensure that your printer’s firmware is up to date.
  2. Update PreForm to its latest version.
  3. Run the Bed Temperature Tuning Print for Nylon 12 White Powder using fresh powder.
  4. Extract the parts and set the sifted powder aside for future use.
  5. Adjust the printer as needed.
  6. Fill the printer hopper to the 6 L mark. This is equivalent to 3 kg of fresh powder.
  7. Download the FLZ file.
  1. In PreForm, select your printer. In the sidebar on the right, click Upload Diagnostic Print. The Upload Diagnostic Print window appears.
  2. Click Browse and select the downloaded FLZ file.
  3. Click OK to send the print file to the selected printer.
Upload Diagnostic Print

 

  1. After the upload is finished, start the print on the printer’s touchscreen. The print should take eight hours to complete on a Fuse 1+ 30W printer.
  2. When the powder is cool enough to handle, extract the powder cake in the Fuse Sift or Fuse Depowdering Kit.

Note:

Powder may be stiff or clumped after the aging process. Sieve the powder thoroughly in the Fuse Sift or Fuse Depowdering Kit before filling a powder cartridge.

  1. Fill a powder cartridge with a mix of fresh and aged powder. Follow Formlabs recommendations for the correct refresh rate for your material.
  2. Insert the mix of aged powder and fresh powder into the build chamber and begin printing.