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Troubleshooting and maintenance guides (Form 2)

The Form 2 is a complex machine that needs regular maintenance to remain in good working condition. Some maintenance is situational, such as cleaning your printer after a resin spill. Other maintenance may be needed after experiencing an error code or if the quality of parts degrades. For assistance with your Form 2, contact Formlabs Support or your authorized reseller.

Note:

For Form 2 maintenance instructions after a resin spill or failed print, check the following articles:

Diagnosing a need for maintenance

Match the issue you are currently experiencing against the list of below symptoms to find the right maintenance procedure for your problem.

Notice:

Only attempt a maintenance procedure on a Form 2 if you are experiencing one of the associated problems or symptoms. For further assistance, contact Formlabs Support or your authorized reseller.

Procedure	Component	Problems & symptoms
Tuning the cam lock	A cam lock is unevenly securing a build platform.	A crooked or loose build platform A crooked or loose cam lock
Reseating the galvanometer cables	The connection point between the galvanometers and the circuit board.	An Error 41 message appears on the touchscreen The printer abruptly restarts just as the laser attempts to begin firing
Cleaning the galvo mirrors	A failed optics test as a result of contaminated galvanometer mirrors.	A gradual drop in print quality over time A failed optics test showing signs of widespread contamination
Lubricating the lead screw	Lubricant is being applied to the Z-tower lead screw.	Printer emits loud noises as the build platform raises and lowers The build platform stutters or stops as it raises or lowers
Reseating the LevelSense grounding screws	The LevelSense grounding screws are located under the tank carrier and against the board.	Repeated Resin Sensor errors Printer is unable to detect the amount of resin that is dispensed into multiple tanks Cleaning the LevelSense board with IPA does not solve the issue
Cleaning the underside of the optical window	The glass optical window is being inspected.	When shining a light onto the optical window there are visible contaminants present beneath the glass
Cleaning the main mirror	The main mirror at the bottom of the optical cavity is being inspected after removing the optical window.	When shining a light into the optical cavity there are visible contaminants atop the main mirror

Tuning the cam lock

The cam lock is the mechanism inside the build platform carriage. The cam lock secures the build platform on the build platform carriage, and the cam lock spring allows the cam handle to move up and down to release.

Estimated time: 15–20 minutes

Download links: Tuning the Form 2 cam lock

Further troubleshooting:

Take a photo of the cam lock from below. The mechanism may be broken.
Contact Formlabs Support or your authorized reseller and include the image.

Notice:

Only tune the cam lock if your cam lock cannot secure the build platform. Performing this maintenance procedure improperly may cause:

A loose or uneven cam lock that cannot properly secure a build platform
A tightened cam lock that is difficult to raise or lower

Reseating the galvanometer cables

The galvanometers are motors that turn the small mirrors that direct the laser. The connectors that attach the cables to the motherboard can sometimes loosen due to shipping vibrations. Unseated cables can cause brownouts and an Error 41 message on the touchscreen.

Estimated time: 20 minutes

Before you begin:

Ensure that the printer is not currently running a print job.
Unplug the printer.
Wait 30 seconds.
Reconnect the printer to the outlet.
If Error 41 or repeated brownouts still occur, proceed to reseating the galvanometer cables.

Download links: Reseating the Form 2 galvanometer cables

Notice:

Only reseat the galvanometer cables if your printer experiences a brownout or displays Error 41 on the touchscreen. Performing this maintenance procedure improperly may cause:

Optical cavity contamination
Printed parts appear as if the X- and Y-axes have been swapped

Cleaning the galvanometer mirrors

The galvanometer mirrors are part of the optical system of the Form 2. These small mirrors are affixed to the galvanometers to guide the laser toward the main mirror. Contaminated galvo mirrors can result in print errors and inaccuracies, and may require cleaning.

Estimated time: 20–30 minutes (preparing the workspace and cleaning the galvo mirrors) plus 75–90 minutes (completing the optics test print).

Before you begin:

Remove all consumables from the printer.
Inspect the optical window and remove all dust, cured resin, streaks, or other contamination.
If there is no contamination on the optical window, inspect the elastic layer at the bottom of the resin tank for clouding. A clouded tank should be replaced.
If there is no clouding, carefully inspect the underside of the resin tank window and remove all dust, cured resin, streaks, or other contamination.
If there is no contamination on the underside of the resin tank, proceed to cleaning the galvanometer mirrors.

Download links: Cleaning the Form 2 galvo mirrors

Notice:

Only clean the galvanometer mirrors if you are experiencing a significant drop in print quality. Performing this maintenance procedure improperly may cause:

Exposing the galvanometer mirrors and optical cavity to contamination
Smudging or streaking the galvanometer mirrors

Lubricating the lead screw

Lubricating the lead screw in the Z-axis can reduce print noise and improve printer functionality.

Estimated time: 5–10 minutes

Download link: Lubricating the Form 2 lead screw

Notice:

Only lubricate the lead screw if your printer emits loud noises as the build platform raises and lowers. Performing this maintenance procedure improperly may cause:

Dropping or spilling lubricant onto the glass optical window

Reseating the LevelSense grounding screws

The LevelSense board regulates the refill rate of the resin in the tank. Two grounding screws on the bottom of the LevelSense board secure the panel to the Z-tower and also ground the board. Proper grounding is critical for accurate LevelSense readings.

Estimated time: 5 minutes

Before you begin:

Reinsert the resin tank that is experiencing issues.
Insert several different resin tanks to determine if the problem is only linked to that single tank.
Clean the LevelSense board using a paper towel dampened with IPA.
If Resin Sensor errors still persist, reseat the LevelSense grounding screws.

Download links: Reseating the Form 2 LevelSense grounding screws

Notice:

Only reseat the LevelSense grounding screws if your printer is unable to correctly read the amount of resin in multiple resin tanks even after cleaning the LevelSense board. Performing this maintenance procedure improperly may cause:

Incorrect readings for the amount of resin in a resin tank
Weakening the printer’s electrical grounding

Cleaning the underside of the optical window

The glass optical window is one of the optical surfaces of the Form 2. The optical window sits below the resin tank and protects the internal mirrors in the optical cavity. Dust, debris, and other contaminants can settle on the underside of the glass optical window and cause the laser light to diffuse or weaken, resulting in print failures.

Estimated time: 20–30 minutes

Before you begin:

Remove all consumables from the printer.
Inspect the optical window and remove all dust, cured resin, streaks, or other contamination.
If there is no contamination on the optical window, inspect the elastic layer at the bottom of the resin tank for clouding. A clouded tank should be replaced.
If there is no clouding, carefully inspect the underside of the resin tank window and remove all dust, cured resin, streaks, or other contamination.
If there is no contamination on the underside of the resin tank, proceed to cleaning the underside of the optical window.

Download links: Cleaning the underside of the Form 2 optical window

Notice:

Only clean the underside of the optical window if there are visible contaminants present beneath the glass. Performing this maintenance procedure improperly may cause:

Permanent damage to the printer or optical window
Exposing the optical window and optical cavity to further contamination
Smudging or streaking the glass optical window

Cleaning the main mirror

The main mirror is part of the optical system of the Form 2. After the laser bounces off the galvo mirrors, the beam is reflected upward into the resin tank by the main mirror. A contaminated main mirror can result in print errors and inaccuracies, and may require cleaning.

Estimated time: 20–30 minutes

Before you begin:

Remove all consumables from the printer.
Inspect the optical window and remove all dust, cured resin, streaks, or other contamination.
If there is no contamination on the optical window, inspect the elastic layer at the bottom of the resin tank for clouding. A clouded tank should be replaced.
If there is no clouding, carefully inspect the underside of the resin tank window and remove all dust, cured resin, streaks, or other contamination.
If there is no contamination on the underside of the resin tank, inspect the optical cavity beneath the optical window.
If there are visible contaminants inside the optical cavity atop the main mirror, proceed to cleaning the main mirror.

Download links: Cleaning the Form 2 main mirror

Notice:

Only clean the main mirror if there are visible contaminants inside the optical cavity atop the main mirror. Performing this maintenance procedure improperly may cause:

Permanent damage to the printer or main mirror
Exposing the main mirror and optical cavity to contamination