Tip:
Formlabs recommends registering powder to its intended printer as soon as you receive it, even if it will not be used immediately.
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Adding fresh powder to the Fuse Sift
Adding fresh powder to the Fuse Sift
As printed parts are extracted from the powder cake, the Fuse Sift collects unsintered powder to be reused and recycled in another print job. Because this powder has been exposed to the heat of the Fuse 1’s print enclosure, this recycled powder must be mixed with fresh powder to ensure a continued level of success when printing. Fill the new powder hopper with fresh powder before dispensing powder into a powder cartridge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOfuoGOxYts
Registering powder
Before adding new powder to the Fuse Sift, register the powder to the printer you intend to use it with.
To register powder on a Fuse 1:
- Open the IR sensor door on top of the printer. Locate the card holder on the back wall of the top cavity.
- Insert an unused powder identification card into the card holder. The Powder Credit screen appears on the touchscreen. The Powder Credit screen displays the amount of available powder credit on the new card and the amount of powder credit currently registered to the printer.
- Tap Transfer to register the credit from the identification card onto the printer. The dialog box updates to show the new powder credit totals.
- Tap Done. Remove the card from the card holder.
- Close the IR sensor door.
Adding fresh powder to the fresh powder hopper
Fill the hopper with fresh powder to ensure that the proper dispense ratio is maintained when powder is later transferred from the different hoppers into the cartridge.
To add fresh powder to the fresh powder hopper:
- Check the amount of fresh powder currently available in the fresh powder hopper located under the right side of the Fuse Sift’s workspace.
- Push the Vac button to turn on the vacuum.
- Lift the vacuum hose off the hanger in the back-left corner of the Fuse Sift’s workspace.
- Use the hose to vacuum off the top of the fresh powder hopper lid on the right side of the workspace so that used powder cannot fall inside upon opening.
- Push the Vac button to turn off the vacuum and place the hose back on its hanger.
- Push the Light button to turn on the light and vent.
- Open a new package of powder. Depending on the type of powder you have purchased, it may be packaged in a jug or a bag.
- Open the fresh powder hopper on the right side of the Fuse Sift’s workspace. The fresh hopper lid is located to the right of the sifter mesh and above the control panel. Depending on the age of your Fuse Sift, the fresh powder hopper may have a flat cover with a plug or a raised funnel with a hinged lid.
- Pour the new powder into the fresh powder hopper.
- Close the fresh powder hopper.
Tip:
If your powder is packaged in a bag, pour directly from the bag into the fresh powder hopper or use a clean scoop to transfer the powder. Consider using a tool with a built-in dispenser, such as a bird seed scoop, to minimize spills.
Original fresh powder hopper without Fuse Sift Funnel
Fuse Sift Funnel with lid opened
Installing the Fuse Sift Funnel
If your Fuse Sift has a flat fresh powder hopper lid with a plug, it may be difficult to fill the hopper with bagged powder. Purchase or print and install the Fuse Sift Funnel to more easily fill the fresh powder hopper.
- Vacuum the workspace. Be sure to vacuum the walls, tool shelf, parts basket, surface grate, and build chamber enclosure.
- Using a 2 mm hex driver, loosen and remove the four screws holding the fresh powder hopper lid in place.
- Place the Fuse Sift Funnel over the fresh powder hopper, aligning the four screw holes in the Fuse Sift Funnel with the corresponding holes at the top of the hopper.
- Thread one of the fresh powder hopper screws into each of the four screw holes.
- Using a 2 mm hex driver, tighten the four screws until snug.
Next steps
Once your fresh powder hopper has been filled, you are ready to dispense both used and fresh powder into a powder cartridge.