Warning:
Use appropriate personal protective equipment when handling loose or unsintered powder. Refer to the support article Safety with Formlabs SLS products for more information.
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Cleaning all powder out of a Fuse 1 generation printer
Cleaning all powder out of a Fuse 1 generation printer
Before transporting your Fuse 1 generation printer or using a different material, thoroughly clean all powder out of the machine. This includes cleaning powder out of the hopper, print enclosure, air filters, and off sensitive components such as the optical cassette and heater tubes. It is critical to fully clean all powder out of the machine before using it with a different material. You may need to perform this cleaning multiple times.
In most cases, when switching between two materials, you will need to thoroughly and comprehensively clean your printer, Fuse Sift, and build chamber. If you are switching between Nylon 12 Powder and Nylon 12 GF Powder or between Nylon 11 Powder and Nylon 11 CF Powder, you can follow a simplified cleaning procedure. Clean the hoppers and dosing assemblies of your printer and Fuse Sift. In most cases, repeated cleaning passes and detailed cleaning of optical surfaces, heaters, and filters are not necessary. You do not need to clean your build chamber when switching between these pairs of materials.
Notice:
Failing to clean out all powder before switching materials can lead to print failures or permanent damage to the machine. Read and understand all instructions in this article before proceeding.
Required supplies
Estimated time required: 2–3 hours
Supplies:
- Particulate filtering respiratory protection (N95 or better)
- Non-reactive nitrile gloves
- Safety glasses
- Compressed air
- Compliant vacuum with static dissipative components, such as a Class II, Division 2 vacuum
- Thin nozzle attachment (included with the Fuse Sift)
- Large brush attachment (included with the Fuse Sift)
- Small brush attachment (third-party, such as in this example attachment set)
- Thin hose attachment (third-party, such as in this example attachment set)
- Hopper vacuum attachment, to be printed in advance: STL file
- Optional: vacuum nozzle set, to be printed in advance
- Scoop (for removing powder from the hopper)
- Containers suitable for holding SLS powder for storage
- Non-abrasive microfiber cloth
- PEC*PADs
- Ethanol
- Step stool
Notice:
Dedicate each of the items listed below to its own material type. Do not clean and reuse them with a different material type.
- Build chamber
- Powder cartridge
- Fuse Sift sifter mesh
- Post-processing cleaning tools
Tip:
Use anti-static vacuum attachments to prevent shocks. For 3D printed attachments (such as the hopper attachment), apply anti-static spray to the part after printing.
Before cleaning
Prepare the machine and a dust-free work environment before starting the cleaning process.
Warning:
Do not perform this procedure if the machine has printed within the last 24 hours. Failure to do so may result in serious burns or lacerations from broken quartz glass. Allow the print enclosure to fully cool to room temperature before touching or inspecting any printer components.
Step 1: Print the vacuum cleaning attachment
Download and print the STL file for the cleaning attachment in advance of this procedure. Use your Fuse printer to print this attachment, then wait 24 hours for the quartz heaters to fully cool.
You can also optionally print a set of nozzles to help reach into tight spaces within the printer:
Mount the base nozzle on your vacuum hose, then use the bayonet fitting to quickly swap between the default tip (good for general usage), hook tip (for reaching into Fuse 1 generation powder troughs), and precision tip (for reaching into tight spaces, such as between the blades of the use 1+ 30W hopper agitator.
Step 2: Collect tools
Collect the required cleaning tools and put on your personal protective equipment (respiratory protection, gloves, and safety glasses).
Step 3: Insert an optical cassette
Before vacuuming any powder, install an optical cassette in the printer.
Notice:
Failing to install an optical cassette before cleaning powder out of the printer leads to contamination of the optics and upper laser window.
Cleaning the hopper
When cleaning powder out of a Fuse 1 generation printer, remove the bulk of the powder from the hopper and print enclosure before wiping surfaces or cleaning more sensitive components.
Note:
You may need multiple passes to remove the bulk of the powder from the printer. Repeat as needed, alternating between cleaning the hopper and the print enclosure.
Step 1: Insert an empty build chamber
Insert and plug in an empty build chamber. Close the print enclosure door.
Step 2: Empty the hopper
Tap Settings > Tools > Empty Hopper on the printer’s touchscreen. Follow the on-screen prompt on the Empty Hopper screen to transfer the powder from the hopper to the build chamber. This process may take up to an hour.
Step 3: Vacuum remaining powder out of the hopper
Remove the grate for better access to the hopper before vacuuming any remaining powder.
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- Fuse 1 only: Remove the debris catcher grate from the hopper and vacuum it to remove all powder.
- Use the brush attachments to vacuum remaining powder from inside the hopper. If you are cleaning a Fuse 1+ 30W printer, take care not to damage the agitator at the bottom of the hopper. If you previously printed the nozzle set, you can use the precision tip to reach between the agitator blades.
- Vacuum the hopper lid hinge.
- Tap Maintenance > Motor Moves on the printer’s touchscreen. The Motor Moves screen appears, which allows you to manually activate various motors in the print enclosure.
- Tap and hold Left on the Recoater motor until the recoater reaches the left side of the print enclosure and stops moving.
- Tap Home on the Doser motor. Wait until the doser stops moving before continuing.
- Open the print enclosure door and locate the right-hand trough. Tap and hold CW on the Flipper (Right) motor until the flipper is completely vertical.
- From within the print enclosure, insert the vacuum attachment where the build chamber would usually be placed. Face the attachment upward toward the troughs and recoater.
- Bring the attachment up through the hole where the print bed would usually be to insert the wide end into the right-hand trough. The attachment hooks into place underneath the flipper.
- Pull the tube that attaches to the vacuum downward to test that it is in position. The attachment should not come out.
- Attach the vacuum hose to the attachment.
Step 4: Clean the doser assembly
Leave the vacuum with the attachment inserted inside the trough as you move the doser inside the hopper to dislodge powder.
Notice:
- When using compressed air or a gas duster to clean the machine, always keep the vacuum running to catch any mobilized powder.
- Do not use a brush attachment to clean the doser, particularly when the doser is running. The doser can pull bristles off the attachment, potentially contaminating your powder and causing future prints to fail.
- Turn the vacuum on while keeping the vacuum with the attachment inserted inside the trough.
- Tap and hold CW for the Doser for 10 seconds, then tap and hold CCW for the Doser for 10 seconds while vacuuming. Repeat this cycle four times.
- Tap and hold CW for the Doser in small, two-second intervals until the doser completes a full revolution.
- Tap and hold CCW for the Doser in small, two-second intervals until the doser completes a full revolution in the opposite direction.
- Aim compressed air into the hopper from the top of the hopper.
- Tap and hold CCW for the Doser for 30 seconds while compressed air is used from inside the hopper. Repeat until no more powder comes out. If you are cleaning a Fuse 1+ 30W printer, ensure that all surfaces of the agitator are visibly clean.
Cleaning the print enclosure
After cleaning the hopper, clean the print enclosure. Clean the main open area, then the powder handling mechanisms at the top of the print enclosure.
Step 1: Vacuum the print enclosure
Open the print enclosure door. Vacuum any loose powder in the print enclosure. Use compressed air or a gas duster as necessary to remove powder from hard-to-reach areas.
Step 2: Clean the powder troughs
Two troughs run from the front to the back of the printer at the top of the print enclosure. The troughs store powder to be dispensed into the build chamber. Use the vacuum, fitted with a small brush attachment or the flexible hose attachment, to clean all powder out of the troughs. Use compressed air or a gas duster as necessary to remove powder from hard-to-reach areas. Check in particular for powder buildup along the inner walls and corners of the troughs.
If you previously printed the nozzle set, you can use the hook tip to reach into the troughs.
Step 3: Move powder trough motors
Close the print enclosure door and move the flipper motors to dislodge powder for cleaning.
To move the flipper motors:
- Close the print enclosure door.
- On the touchscreen, tap the wrench icon. The Maintenance menu appears.
- Tap Motor Moves. The Motor Moves screen appears, which allows you to manually activate various motors in the print enclosure.
Caution:
Unless specifically advised, do not select any of the options in the Motor Moves menu while the print enclosure door is open or any objects are in the path of the powder handling mechanisms at the top of the print enclosure. Moving parts present a crushing or tangling hazard. If necessary, tap the Stop button on the touchscreen to stop a motor movement.
- Tap the CW, CCW, and Home arrows under the Flipper (Left) and Flipper (Right) headers to rotate the left and right flippers clockwise, counterclockwise, or back to their home positions. Repeatedly move the flippers and vacuum the powder troughs until they are clean. In particular, ensure that the inner edge of both powder troughs as well as any adjacent components are free of powder.
Step 4: Check the hopper gasket
After cleaning the powder troughs, examine the trough on the right side of the printer. Check the position of the gasket running along the outside edge of the trough. Blowing compressed air down into the hopper can force the gasket out of place and into the path of the recoater. Use a thin tool or your gloved fingers to push the gasket back into place behind the edge of the trough.
The left image shows a hopper gasket that is properly placed behind the edge of the right-hand powder trough.
The right image shows a hopper gasket that is not properly placed behind the edge of the right-hand powder trough. The gasket overlaps with the powder trough.
Step 5: Wipe the print enclosure
Wipe the print enclosure with a clean microfiber cloth to remove any residual powder.
Step 6: Wipe the recoater
The recoater is a bar that moves left and right across the top of the print enclosure, spreading powder across the print surface to form a new layer of the print.
To move the recoater into position for cleaning:
- Close the print enclosure door.
- On the touchscreen, tap the wrench icon. The Maintenance menu appears.
- Tap Motor Moves. The Motor Moves screen appears, which allows you to manually activate various motors in the print enclosure.
Caution:
Unless specifically advised, do not select any of the options in the Motor Moves menu while the print enclosure door is open or any objects are in the path of the powder handling mechanisms at the top of the print enclosure. Moving parts present a crushing or tangling hazard. If necessary, tap the Stop button on the touchscreen to stop a motor movement.
- Tap the Left and Right arrows under the Recoater header to move the recoater. The recoater rotates as it moves, changing the area that is exposed. Repeatedly move the recoater and wipe it with a microfiber cloth until it is clean.
Notice:
If you are switching between Nylon 12 Powder and Nylon 12 GF Powder or between Nylon 11 Powder and Nylon 11 CF Powder, stop here. If you are switching between any other two materials, continue following the cleaning steps below.
Step 7: Repeat as needed
Repeat the steps for cleaning the hopper and cleaning the print enclosure until there is no powder in recessed areas and all surfaces are clean. Alternate between cleaning the hopper and the print enclosure.
Note:
You may need to repeat these steps several times before all surfaces are clean.
Cleaning surfaces and sensitive components
After you have removed the bulk of the powder from the printer, move on to wiping surfaces and cleaning sensitive components.
Note:
You may need multiple passes to remove all powder from the printer’s surfaces and sensitive components. Repeat the following steps as needed until all surfaces are fully clean.
Cleaning the print enclosure door
Clean any powder that may have settled on the inside of the print enclosure door, particularly behind and around the gasket.
Step 1: Vacuum the print enclosure door
Connect a brush attachment to the vacuum hose. Vacuum the inside surface of the print enclosure door.
Step 2: Clean behind the door gasket
The print enclosure door has a large rectangular gasket on its inner face. Use compressed air or a gas duster to remove powder from around and behind the gasket.
Notice:
When using compressed air or a gas duster to clean the machine, always keep the vacuum running to catch any mobilized powder.
Cleaning the quartz heaters
Put on a new, clean pair of nitrile gloves. Carefully wipe the quartz heater tubes with a clean, dry PEC*PAD.
Warning:
The heater tubes are fragile and very sensitive to damage and contamination from skin oils. A damaged or contaminated heater tube may explode when heated. Do not turn on the machine if the heater tubes are damaged or contaminated.
Step 1: Wipe the heater tubes
Two quartz heater tubes run from the front to the back of the printer at the top of the print enclosure. Gently clean one of the heater tubes with a clean, dry PEC*PAD to remove any powder buildup. Repeat with a new PEC*PAD for the other heater tube.
Notice:
Never handle the heater tubes with your bare hands. If at any point bare skin contacts the quartz glass, thoroughly clean the tube with a clean PEC*PAD wetted with ethanol.
Cleaning optical surfaces and sensors
Clean the optical and sensor surfaces: the optical cassette, IR sensor, and upper laser window. Follow the normal cleaning procedures for these components, as you would when doing routine maintenance.
Step 1: Clean the optical cassette
Remove the installed optical cassette and clean it to remove any powder that may have settled on it during cleaning.
Step 2: Clean the upper laser window
Inspect and clean the upper laser window. Reinstall the optical cassette.
Step 3: Clean the IR sensor
Open the IR sensor door at the top of the printer. Clean the IR sensor. Reinstall the sensor and close the IR sensor door.
Cleaning the air filters
Vacuum or replace the air filters and clean the related air handling hardware. Take care to clean any powder that may be mobilized while working with the filters.
Step 1: Vacuum or replace the air filters
Open the filter cabinet door on the right side of the printer. Clean the air filters, exhaust lines, and exhaust fan. As an alternative, replace both the intake filter and the exhaust filter.
Tip:
Gently use compressed air, a gas duster, or soft brushes to knock powder loose from the filters.
Step 2: Reinstall the air filters
Reinstall the filters and close the filter cabinet door.
Wiping the powder hopper
Finish by wiping down the inside of the hopper with a clean microfiber cloth. If you used compressed air to clean inside the print enclosure, powder may have been blown back into the hopper.
Step 1: Wipe the hopper
Wipe the inside of the hopper with a clean microfiber cloth to remove any residual powder.
Next steps
After reinspecting all surfaces and confirming that all powder has been removed from the machine, the cleaning procedure is complete.
If you cleaned the machine in order to transport it, it is now ready to be packaged.
Notice:
Some materials have specific machine setup requirements that are not captured in the UI. Be sure to follow all required setup requirements and part design guidelines for your chosen material:
Closely watch the initial stages of the print for signs of contamination, such as streaking or discoloration from mixed powder types. If signs of contamination are present, stop the print, dispose of any contaminated powder, and repeat all cleaning steps described in this article.