On Fuse 1 generation printers, build chambers plug into a socket in the print enclosure. The printer uses this connection to communicate with the build chamber and control its heaters. A faulty or malfunctioning build chamber socket or cable harness will prevent the printer from communicating with an inserted build chamber.
Use this guide to replace the build chamber socket and cable harness on a Fuse 1 generation printer.
Required supplies:
Formlabs:
Third-party:
Estimated time: 60–90 minutes
Danger:
Read and follow all safety instructions and warnings in the operator manual. Replacement with incorrect parts can lead to burns, shock, fire, or explosion. Dispose of all parts in accordance with local regulations.
Preparing the workspace
Overview: Prepare the printer and a dust-free workspace for replacing the heater control board.
Notice:
Fuse 1 generation printers contain sensitive electronic components. Ground yourself before touching any electronics in the printer by using a grounding strap or touching a grounded piece of metal.
Step 1: Prepare the workspace
Clear a workspace around your printer. Ensure that the workspace is well-ventilated and free of dust.
Step 2: Unplug the printer
Disconnect the power cable before continuing with maintenance. Do not perform maintenance on the printer while it is connected to power. Wait five minutes after disconnecting the printer from power before proceeding.
Danger:
Performing maintenance on the printer while it is plugged in increases the risk of electric shock. Never remove the back panel of the printer while the printer is plugged in. Never reconnect the printer to power while the back panel is uninstalled.
Step 3: Remove the Wi-Fi antenna
Unscrew and remove the Wi-Fi antenna, if it is connected.
Step 4: Disconnect the nitrogen source (Fuse 1+ 30W only)
Disconnect the nitrogen hose from the quick-disconnect fitting, if connected.
Removing the rear panels
Overview: Remove the rear panels to access the interior of the printer.
The six black lower rear panel screws are circled in red. The four chrome lower rear panel grounding screws are circled in blue.
Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, remove the six black panel screws and the four chrome panel grounding screws securing the lower rear panel to the printer. Set the screws aside, taking care to separate the black and chrome screws for later reinstallation.
Pull the lower rear panel straight back and away from the printer. Lay it down on a flat, clean surface.
Locate the ring clamp attached to the exhaust duct in the center of the printer.
Using a 6.5 mm flathead screwdriver, loosen the ring clamp screw. Do not remove the screw. Pull the exhaust duct away from the exhaust pipe.
Open the filter cabinet door on the printer. Locate the exhaust inlet on the right side of the cabinet.
Using a 2.0 mm hex driver, remove the four screws attaching the exhaust inlet to the filter cabinet. Set the screws aside.
The two black upper rear panel screws are circled in red. The two chrome upper rear panel grounding screws are circled in blue.
Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, remove the two black panel screws and two chrome panel grounding screws securing the upper rear panel to the printer. Set the screws aside, taking care to separate the black and chrome screws for later reinstallation.
Step 8: Remove the upper rear panel screws
Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, remove the eight screws securing the upper rear panel to the printer:
Set the screws aside.
Step 9: Remove the upper rear panel
Pull the upper rear panel straight back and away from the printer. Lay it down on a flat, clean surface.
Removing the hopper-side panel
Overview: Remove paneling on the hopper side of the printer to access the LED board.
Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, loosen and remove the two black (circled in red) and one chrome (circled in blue) 8.0 mm M4 button head screws from the back-left of the printer. Take note of the locations of these screws, as the placement of the chrome screws is critical to the printer's electrical grounding. Set the screws aside.
Move to the hopper side of the printer. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, loosen and remove the 10 M4 countersunk screws holding the hopper-side panel to the printer. Remove the top-most 6.0 mm countersunk screws last to make removing the panel easier. Set the screws aside.
Allow the panel to tilt away from the printer, allowing access to the interlock switch cables. Do not remove the panel at this time.
Locate the black and red cables leading to the interlock switch on the inner left-hand side of the panel. The cables are retained by a cable clamp. Unlock the cable clamp and disconnect the cable labeled C033.
Separate the hopper-side panel from the printer, taking care to ensure that none of the cables are caught or tangled. Set the panel down on a flat, clean surface.
Removing the buffer-side panel
Overview: Remove the buffer-side panel to access the interior of the printer.
Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, remove the four 6 mm M4 countersunk screws that secure the buffer-side panel to the printer.
Separate the buffer-side panel from the printer and set it aside.
Removing the build chamber socket and cable harness
Overview: Separate the build chamber socket from the printer, unplug the harness, and remove the assembly.
Step 1: Open the print enclosure door
Open the print enclosure door by pulling the manual release handle in the filter cabinet.
Step 2: Remove the manual release handle
Pull the cable through the manual release handle to expose the ferrule, then slide the cable out of the handle. Set the manual release handle aside.
On the front of the printer, use a 2.5 mm hex driver to loosen and remove the four M4 screws that secure the build chamber socket. Set the screws aside.
Step 4: Separate the filter cabinet from the printer frame
Grip the top frame of the plastic filter cabinet, then tilt it forward so the top edge clears the insulation directly above it. Gently pull the filter cabinet up and away from the frame, then let it hang off of the side of the printer. Do not pull the filter cabinet completely away from the printer. It is still attached via the exhaust fan cable and exhaust duct, which may be damaged.
Pull the build chamber socket towards the rear of the print, away from its mount. Do not pull on the individual wires.
Disconnect the cable labeled C008.
Step 7: Disconnect the grounding cable
Free the blue and brown cable harness and the green ground cable from the four cable management clips along the hopper side of the printer. Unscrew the grounding wire screw using a 3 mm hex driver. Set the screw aside.
Step 8: Continue disconnecting the build chamber socket cables
Locate a second set of cables extending from the build chamber socket. Disconnect the cables labeled C005 CWL, C007 PT, and C006 CWU. Release the cables from their cable management clips, as you did with the first set of cables.
On the back of the printer, locate the motor and temperature controller board, positioned directly above the laser assembly heatsink. Disconnect the cable labeled C120. If necessary, cut any zip ties preventing you from disconnecting the cable, but take care not to damage any other cables.
Step 10: Continue separating the build chamber socket harness from its cable management clips
The motor and temperature controller board, heater controller board, and several other printer components are mounted on a metal plate. The blue and brown cable harness mentioned in step 7 is routed through three cable management clips on the backside of this plate. Open the cable clips and separate the harness from them.
Step 11: Continue disconnecting the build chamber socket cables
Locate the heater controller board, positioned to the right of the motor and temperature controller board. Disconnect the cable labeled C301 from the top-right corner of the heater controller board. Disconnect the cable labeled C001, directly above the heater controller board. Disconnect the cable labeled C009, directly above the motor and temperature controller board.
Follow the wires running from the C301 connector from step 11 to the buffer side of the printer. Separate that cable harness from the five cable management clips it runs through.
At the end of the cable harness from the previous step, locate a set of spade connectors. Using a pair of needle nose pliers, disconnect all of the connectors labeled C003 air, C002QTH, and C010QTB. Label each of the corresponding cables on the printer side for easier reinstallation. Avoid pulling on the wires themselves; instead, pull on the crimped connectors.
Step 14: Remove the build chamber socket and harness
Remove the build chamber socket and harness from the printer, taking care not to pull on or damage any other cables. If necessary to remove the harness, unscrew the top mounting screw securing the metal plate mentioned in step 10 using a 2.5 mm hex driver. Flex the top of the plate out of the way to let the cables pass by. Set the socket and harness aside for disposal.
Installing the new build chamber socket and cable harness
Overview: Mount the new build chamber socket, route the cables, and plug them in.
Step 1: Connect the socket harness cables on the buffer side of the printer
On the buffer side of the printer, reconnect the spade connectors for the wires labeled C003 air, C002 QTH and C010QTB. Route these wires through the five cable management clips below the spade connectors.
Step 2: Connect the socket harness cables on the rear of the printer
At the back of the printer, connect the cable labeled C301 to its socket at the top-right corner of the heater controller board. Connect the cable labeled C120 to its socket at the bottom-left corner of the motor and temperature controller board. Connect the cables labeled C001 and C009, positioned above these boards.
Step 3: Route the socket harness cables on the rear of the printer
Route the blue and brown cable harness behind the metal plate at the rear of the printer. Secure it into the three cable management clips behind the metal plate. If necessary, unscrew the top mounting screw securing the metal plate using a 2.5 mm hex driver. Flex the top of the plate out of the way to let the cables pass by.
Step 4: Route the socket harness cables on the hopper side of the printer
On the hopper side of the printer, secure the blue and brown cable harness into the four cable management clips closer to the insulation panel. Secure the black and white harness (with cables labeled C005 CWL, C007 PT, and C006 CWU) into the four cable management clips further from the insulation panel.
Secure the green grounding cable to its mount with its screw, then tighten with a 3 mm hex driver.
Step 6: Mount and secure the build chamber socket
Step 7: Mount the filter cabinet
Grip the top of the filter cabinet frame, then tilt it forward and slide it back in the metal insert so the screw holes along the lower edge of the cabinet are aligned with the screw holes in the printer frame. Reinstall the manual release handle onto its cable.
Reinstalling the buffer-side panel
Overview: After installing the replacement laser assembly, reinstall and secure the buffer-side panel.
Lift the buffer-side panel and align its screw holes with those in the printer frame, as shown.
Thread one 6 mm M4 countersunk screw into each of the four marked screw holes in the buffer-side panel. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, tighten until snug.
Reinstalling the hopper-side panel
Overview: After installing the new hopper LED board, reinstall the paneling on the hopper side of the printer.
Step 1: Reconnect the interlock switch cable
Align the bottom of the hopper-side panel to the bottom of the printer and allow it to lean against you. Reconnect the interlock switch cable, labeled C033, to its receptacle. Route the cables into the cable clamp with the connector positioned below the clamp. If necessary, tuck the interlock cable slack into the side of the printer’s frame.
Thread one M4 countersunk screw into each of the 10 screw holes in the hopper-side panel. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, tighten until snug. For greatest convenience and ease of installation, thread and tighten in the following order:
Thread the two black 8.0 mm M4 button head screws into the screw holes circled in red in the image here. Thread the chrome 8.0 mm M4 button head screw into the screw hole circle in blue here. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, tighten until snug.
Reinstalling the rear panels
Overview: After installing the replacement flipper motor assembly, reinstall and secure the rear panels.
Lift the upper rear panel and align it with the four screw holes on the top of the printer.
Thread the four 6.0 mm screws into each of the screw holes on the top of the printer. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, tighten the screws until finger tight. You may need to adjust the exhaust duct to correctly position the upper rear panel.
Thread the two 6 mm screws into the screw holes on the buffer side and the two 6 mm screws into the screw holes on the hopper side. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, tighten the screws until snug.
Thread the two 6mm screws into the holes on the hopper side. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, tighten the screws until snug.
The two black upper rear panel screws are circled in red. The two chrome upper rear panel grounding screws are circled in blue.
Thread the panel screws into the indicated screw holes on the upper rear panel. Refer to the image for the correct locations of the black and chrome screws. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, screw in the two black panel screws and two chrome grounding screws securing the upper rear panel to the printer.
Notice:
The placement of the chrome screws is critical to the printer's electrical grounding. Incorrect placement may lead to printer damage.
Step 6: Slide the exhaust duct into position
Slide the end of the exhaust duct with the ring clamp back onto the exhaust pipe. Ensure the exhaust duct presses against the insulation panel.
Step 7: Tighten the exhaust duct ring clamp
Using a 6.5 mm flathead screwdriver, tighten the ring clamp until finger tight.
Open the filter cabinet door on the printer. Thread the four 8.0 mm screws into the screw holes. Using a 2.0 mm hex driver, screw in the four exhaust duct screws until finger tight.
To ensure there is no gap between the exhaust duct’s mounting plate and the filter cabinet housing, shine a flashlight or other light source around the exhaust inlet inside the filter cabinet. If any light is visible behind the filter cabinet, the duct is not properly sealed. If necessary, use a 2.0 mm hex driver to tighten the exhaust duct screws. Close the filter cabinet door when finished.
The six black lower rear panel screws are circled in red. The four chrome lower rear panel grounding screws are circled in blue.
Thread the panel screws into the indicated screw holes on the lower rear panel. Refer to the image for the correct locations of the black and chrome screws. Using a 2.5 mm hex driver, screw in the six black panel screws and four chrome panel grounding screws securing the lower rear panel to the printer.
Notice:
The placement of the chrome screws is critical to the printer's electrical grounding. Incorrect placement may lead to printer damage.
Step 11: Reinstall the Wi-Fi antenna (optional)
Screw the Wi-Fi antenna onto the jack on the back of the unit.
Step 12: Reconnect the nitrogen supply (Fuse 1+ 30W only)
Reconnect the nitrogen hose to the quick-disconnect fitting, if previously installed.
Finalizing the repair
Overview: After installing the replacement build chamber socket and cable harness, power on the printer and perform final checks.
Step 1: Power on the printer
Connect the power cable to the printer and the power supply. The printer initializes.
Step 2: Test the repair
Insert and connect a build chamber. Check that the printer detects the build chamber. Start a print. Monitor the printer to ensure that the print proceeds normally. Contact Formlabs Support or your certified service provider to share the results of the procedure.
