The Form 3 has a touchscreen in its front shell. The touchscreen is the primary means of interacting with and controlling the printer, so a broken or malfunctioning touchscreen can prevent the printer from being used normally.

Use this guide to replace the Form 3 display assembly.

Estimated time: 20–30 minutes

Overview: Prepare the Form 3 and a dust-free workspace for replacing the display assembly.

Step 1: Remove the build platform

Remove the build platform first to avoid dripping resin onto the LPU or into the printer cavity.

Step 2: Remove the resin cartridge

Remove the resin cartridge and close the vent cap to prevent resin from dripping off the bite valve and into the printer.

Step 3: Remove and store the resin tank

Remove the resin tank, place it in the resin tank carrier, and cover it with its lid. Set the carrier and tank aside on a clean, flat surface.

Step 4: Prepare the workspace

Clear a workspace around your printer. Ensure that the workspace is well-ventilated and free of dust. Prepare additional space for storing the rear panel of the printer during maintenance.

Step 5: 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.

Step 6: Clean the printer cavity

Open the printer cover. Check inside the printer cavity to ensure that no resin has pooled on the printer floor. Clean any resin inside the printer cavity with paper towels. Dampen the paper towels with isopropyl alcohol if necessary to fully remove the resin.

Overview: Unscrew and uninstall the display assembly.

Step 1: Remove the display screws

Place the printer at the front of your work surface so that the front edge of the printer overhangs the front edge of the work surface. Locate the two 2.5 mm hex screws at the front of the bottom shell. These screws secure the display to the printer frame. Use the 2.5 mm hex driver to loosen the two screws. Remove the screws and set them aside.

Depending on the date of manufacture, your printer may have a third screw located between the two 2.5 mm hex screws. The third screw is either a T6 Torx screw or a Phillips screw. If this third screw is present, remove it and set it aside.

Step 2: Separate the display assembly from the printer frame

The top of the display assembly is held to the printer frame via a set of plastic tabs. Tilt the bottom of the display assembly slightly away from the printer, then lower the display assembly to separate it from the printer frame.

Step 3: Rotate the display assembly

The display ribbon cable connects the display assembly to the printer motherboard. Rotate the display assembly to the right to access the display ribbon cable connector.

Overview: Mount and secure the new display assembly.

Step 1: Reconnect the display ribbon cable

Insert the display ribbon cable into the connector on the new display assembly, ensuring that the ribbon cable is not twisted or folded.

Step 2: Secure the latch

Rotate the latch towards the display assembly to lock the display ribbon cable in place.

Step 3: Install the display assembly

Insert the tabs on the top edge of the display assembly underneath the top shell of the printer. Tilt the bottom edge of the display assembly towards the printer until it lies flush with the bottom shell and side shells. Ensure that the display ribbon cable is not caught between the display assembly and the printer frame.

Step 4: Secure the display assembly

Thread the two 2.5 mm hex screws into the holes at the front of the bottom shell. Use the 2.5 mm hex driver to tighten the screws until snug.

Overview: After installing the new display assembly, 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 will initialize, and the touchscreen will turn on.

Step 2: Test the touchscreen

The touchscreen should respond to touch inputs if the repair was successful. Test a variety of inputs, such as viewing the printer’s settings or exploring past prints via the print queue. Contact Formlabs Support or your authorized reseller to share the results of the procedure.