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Cleaning the Fuse 1’s camera lens

The Fuse 1’s touchscreen displays a live feed of the print enclosure. To capture the print progress in real time, a camera is embedded in the ceiling of the print enclosure that points down through the optical cassette at the chamber bed. Clean the camera lens after 500 hours of printing to maintain a visual feed of the print enclosure.

Caution:

Do not use compressed air or an air gun to clean the print enclosure, build chamber, or any other component. Mobilizing loose powder increases the risk of unintentional inhalation or ingestion.

Required supplies

Estimated time: 15 minutes

To remove contamination:

Nitrile gloves
Polyester swabs
Mirror wand
Ethanol or isopropyl alcohol (IPA)

Cleaning the camera lens with ethanol

Remove the optical cassette for easier access to the camera lens before cleaning.

Step 1: Put on gloves

Put on a clean pair of nitrile gloves. Powder, skin oils, and other contaminants may smudge the lens or glass.

Step 2: Open the print enclosure door

On the touchscreen, drag the Unlock Door slider. The print enclosure door unlocks. Open the print enclosure door.

Someone is reaching out to grip and open the print enclosure door

Step 3: Open the cassette tray

On the ceiling of the print enclosure, loosen the thumb screw in the front-center of the printer cavity. The cassette tray swings down.

The thumb screw at the top of the print enclosure is circled in red

The cassette tray is open to reveal the optical cassette inside

Step 4: Remove the optical cassette

Slide the optical cassette out of the cassette tray for easier access to the camera lens.

Someone is holding an optical cassette up to the light

Step 5: Set the optical cassette aside

Set the optical cassette aside on a clean, flat surface with the blue gaskets facedown. Ensure that nothing is directly touching the glass of the optical cassette.

An optical cassette is resting on a clean wood surface

Step 6: Close the cassette tray

Return the cassette tray to its closed position without the optical cassette and tighten the thumb screw. This provides easier access to the upper laser window. Tighten the thumb screw to lock the cassette tray in place.

A close-up view of the thumb screw on the cassette tray

Step 7: Locate the camera lens

Using the provided mirror wand, visually locate the camera lens. The lens corresponds to the smaller window of the optical cassette.

Tip:

Remember the position of the camera lens for later in the procedure.

A mirror wand is inserted into the print enclosure, the reflection shows the camera lens

Step 8: Wet a cloth polyester swab with ethanol

Wet a cloth polyester swab with a small amount of ethanol.

A swab is being held against the top of a bottle

Step 9: Wipe the camera lens

Using the mirror wand to guide your hand, wipe the camera lens with the tip of the ethanol-wetted cloth polyester swab.

The swab is being inserted into the cavity where the camera lens is

Step 10: Wait for ethanol to evaporate

Wait five minutes for the ethanol to evaporate before inspecting the camera lens or replacing the optical cassette.

Step 11: Inspect the camera lens

Use the mirror wand to visually verify that the camera lens is clean and clear of obstruction. If there are streaks or debris on the lens, repeat this procedure.

Notice:

Streaks or debris can inhibit the functionality of the camera lens and prevent it from performing properly.

Step 12: Open the cassette tray

Once confirming that the camera lens is clean, loosen the thumb screw on the ceiling of the printer cavity. The cassette tray swings down.

Step 13: Replace the optical cassette

Place a clean optical cassette into the cassette tray.

An optical cassette rests in an open cassette tray

Step 14: Close the cassette tray

Return the cassette tray to its closed position and tighten the thumb screw.