During a print, the Fuse 1 dispenses powder from the hopper at the top-right of the machine. Before you start a print, ensure that the hopper contains enough powder for the print to successfully complete. If the hopper empties during a print, the print fails. Sensors in the powder hopper are used to prevent prints from being started without enough powder, but Formlabs recommends a visual check.

Before starting a print, check how much powder credit is registered to your printer and in the printer hopper. If you do not have enough powder credit registered to your printer to complete the print, order additional powder (or register additional powder if you have unregistered powder on hand). If the hopper does not contain enough powder to complete the print, fill the hopper with more powder, or you will not be able to start your print.

Checking how much powder credit is registered

The amount of powder that has been registered to a Fuse 1 is available on the printer’s touchscreen.

To check how much powder is registered:

1. On the touchscreen, tap the wrench icon. The Settings screen appears.
2. Tap System > Powder Credit. The Powder Credit screen appears, showing the amount of available powder credit.
3. Compare the amount of registered powder to the mass of powder PreForm has determined will be required for the print.
   • If the amount of registered powder is less than the powder required to complete the print, purchase and/or register additional powder.
4. Tap Done to close the Powder Credit screen.

Checking the powder level in the hopper

Once powder credit has been registered to the printer, sufficient powder must be loaded into the printer’s hopper before starting a print.

To check the powder level in the hopper:

1. Open the hopper and look on the inside wall. There are markings inside the hopper that show the current powder level.

2. Compare the amount of powder in the hopper to the required amount determined by PreForm.
   • If the powder available in the hopper is less than the powder required to complete the print, fill the hopper with additional powder.

When preparing a print, fill the hopper with powder from a cartridge.

To fill the hopper with powder:

1. Using the Fuse Sift, fill a cartridge with powder.
2. Open the hopper lid, located on top of the hopper on the right side of the printer.
3. Place a filled cartridge upside down on top of the hopper with the cartridge valve handle (marked with the Formlabs logo) facing out.

4. Pull the cartridge valve handle out until it stops. Wait for the powder to empty into the hopper.
   • If the hopper was already filled above the 6 kg (13.2 lb) marking on the sticker inside the hopper, the cartridge may not fully empty.

5. Push the cartridge valve handle back in to close the cartridge.
   • If any powder remains in the cartridge, retain it for future use.
6. Leave the cartridge in place on top of the hopper for approximately one minute to let the plume of powder in the hopper settle.

7. Remove the cartridge from the hopper.
8. Close the hopper lid.