Working with 3D printers is fun. But it comes with its ups and downside. Like with every other machine, you’d need to repair it when it breaks down from time to time. Sometimes, you could fix the fault with your 3D Printer as it could be a minor issue. Other times, you might need to carry out significant changes that might require the help of an expert.
But before you attempt to repair your 3D Printer, you first have to diagnose the real problem. Trust me, the diagnoses process is fun, especially for the hobbyist in the field. Keep reading as we explore some of the available fixing processes for your 3D Printer. That way, you’ll know the best solution to administer to it.
The 3D Printer fixing process
There are diverse methods to help fix your 3D Printer, as long as you don’t need to change some parts of the 3D Printer. What you need to do is diagnose the problem first. Then, you’ll know which fixing process you should follow. In essence, the situation dictates the repair solution.
For starters, different problems arise with the 3D Printer. Fixing these problems via diagnosis is the way to go. You have to, first, diagnose the problem. Then, make a move to fix it. Sometimes, you’d need to get spare parts to swap with faulty parts. Other times, you need to mess with the controls to repair the Printer. Generally, any fault with your 3D Printer is either power-related, hardware-related, print quality-related, or filament-related. Keep reading as we’ll explore how to handle these problems.
3D Printer Repair with Power Related
If the 3D printer problem you’re facing is power-related, there are a couple of reasons that it is an issue. We’ll explore some of the possible problems and the solutions to these potential problems.
Power-on Problem
This issue arises your 3D Printer refuses to turn on, especially when nothing is wrong with the setup. Don’t panic and try this fixing process.
The Printer fails to turn on: Try out some of these troubleshooting techniques when your 3D fails to come on.
- Check the Power outlet: Sometimes, the power outlet your Printer is connected to might be the problem. It could have exploded while you were out of the house. So, you want to ensure the outlet is not the problem. Unplug the Printer and plug a lamp in the outlet or another electronics. If the light or electronics work, then the outlet is not the problem.
- Check the Fuse: You should make the next move which is to inspect the 3D printer fuse. If there’s a blown fuse, replace it. If it still doesn’t work, use the power cable with other devices. If it works well with other devices, your 3D Printer might be the culprit itself.
- Check the power output supply: The power output supply is another reason your Printer isn’t coming on. The Printer could consume a lot of voltage input but not give enough energy output that’s needed.
Broken Stepper Motors:
Although the chances of your 3D printer stepper motor getting faulty are slim, it is not entirely impossible. Before you make
- Are the motors working: The first step to fixing this issue is to see if the stepper motors are functioning perfectly. If one of the two functions properly, the motors aren’t the problem.
- Motor Wiring: If none or one of the motors isn’t functioning, it’s possible that the wiring has come loose one way or the other. Make a move to fix the wiring if that’s the case. You can do it yourself or seek the help of a professional.
- Check the Stepper Motor Driver: If the wiring is good or your Printer is still not working after you’ve fixed the wiring, check the driver. More often than not, stepper motor drivers burn out. If that’s the case, try to change it. You’ll quickly change the driver if it is removable. If it’s not removable, seek the help of a professional so you do not damage the driver.
Nozzle Problem:
A significant nozzle problem that prevents your 3D Printer from working is that the nozzle fails to heat up when you turn on your 3D Printer. Here’s how to fix this nozzle problem.
- Heat the nozzle manually: Since it’s difficult to heat the nozzle automatically, refer to the Printer’s manual on manually heating the nozzle.
- Check the heating element: If the nozzle doesn’t heat up after attempting to heat it manually, check that you correctly connected the heating element to the Printer’s control board.
- Replace the heating element: If the heating element still doesn’t work, you need to start shopping for a new heating element for the hot end.
Printer Screen Problem:
After fixing the power source or outlet issue but the printer screen doesn’t come on, keep reading to discover some of the tricks you can try to fix it.
- Check the connections: if power is supplied to your 3D Printer but the screen doesn’t turn on, check all the wires to ensure that you connected them correctly to the correct ports. If after doing a wire and connection inspection, check to see if the screen comes on. If it does, your Printer is ready for use. If not, proceed to the next step.
- Fix your Signal: The signal might be the problem. So, check to see if the signal is stable.
- Replace the Screen: If the signal and connections are perfect, then the screen is faulty. Order a screen replacement that is compatible with your 3D Printer.
Related: electricity consumption of 3D printer
3D Printer Repair with Hardware Related
Your 3D Printer could be plagued by quite a few hardware-related issues that prevent it from performing its duties well.
Printer Nozzle:
By now, you can already tell that printer nozzles are a crucial part of your 3D Printer. One of the hardware-related 3D printers is the jammed nozzle issue. If anything happens to it, it won’t function properly.
The nozzle could get jammed for a lot of reasons. For starters, the nozzle could mistakenly melt into the bed while you’re working. Your stepper motor could also seize.
If the stepper motor is seized, try to replace the stepper motor. To fix it, determine why the printer nozzle is stuck and fix it. If the nozzle melted into the bed, use the preheat settings so you can separate the nozzle from the printing bed.
Wobbly hot end:
An easy way to know if the hot end of your Printer is wobbly is to check the motion of the linear bearing or guide rods. If either of these parts is loose, the hot end would be wobbly.
An easy way to determine this is to check if the linear bearing moves in an inconsistent pattern or if it hangs or gets stiff frequently and occasionally.
If you notice any of the above highlighted, then it’s time to change the linear bearing. If the guide rods are the problem, try to tighten them as they’ve come loose.
3D printer timing Belts:
The timing belts could also be a problem. Here, you need to figure out how to fix the tension on your 3D timing belt when it comes loose.
There is no single way to tighten the timing belt on a 3D printer when it comes loose because 3D Printer differs. But you can understand how to do this by using the manual guide or reaching out to a professional for help.
You could also reach out to the customer service support of the 3D printer brand that you bought.
This problem could occur if you’ve had your 3D Printer for a long while. It could also happen to new 3D printers for a couple of reasons.
To be sure, you’ve got to check if faulty buttons and switches are using a multimeter. As you figure out which switch or button is defective, make a move to fix it.
3D Printer Repair with Print Quality Related
When the quality of your object falls short of your expectation, it is an indication that your 3D printed is plagued by some print quality-related issues. Don’t worry; you can easily spot and fix some of the problems via the techniques explored in this section.
Insufficient Plastic:
If the plastic material on the first layer of your object is not sufficient, it will affect the print quality of your object. Don’t get overwhelmed as this problem is common.
A couple of factors are responsible for the insufficiency of the plastic material on the first layer of the object you print. For starters, the nozzle height affects the amount of plastic on the object you intend to print.
If the nozzle is so high that it sits too far away from where it’s supposed to sit initially, there won’t be enough plastic on the object’s first layer to form a well-printed quality at the end of the day.
An easy way to identify this problem is to pay attention to the detail of the filament shape. The printed filament would most likely take a curvy or straight shape.
If you pour any liquid substance like honey on the printed object, you’ll notice that it would look wobbly if there’s not enough material on the first layer.
Solution:
There are three ways to solve this problem. The first is the obvious answer: to adjust the nozzle height so that it prints the exact amount of material it needs to form a high print quality.
The second solution is to boost the nozzle temperature. When the nozzle temperature is cold, it also affects the amount of plastic that slides out of the nozzle to form your object.
The third method that you can deploy to correct this is to adjust the extrusion multiplier. Increase when printing the first layer. Then, you can reduce the extrusion multiplier once you’ve successfully printed the extrusion multiplier.
Related: Setting up the Ender 3 Auto Bed Leveling
Bent Edges:
Usually, when you print with any plastic material, the outer edges wouldn’t bend as that would ruin the print quality of your object. However, if you print with ABS material, you’re probably familiar with the fact that the outer edges bend a lot.
When that happens, simply correct it by setting the Printer in a way that keeps the material from absorbing too much ambient air. You can also heat the print bed so that the warmth would prevent the filament from folding at the outer edges. It affects the print quality in the long run.
3D Printer Repair With Filament Related:
Filament-related problems can also cause your 3D Printer to break down. Some filament-related issues would lead you to refix the filament, while others might lead you to change some parts of the 3D Printer. Here are some filament-related problems and possible solutions.
Wrong filament diameter:
Every Printer works with a specific filament diameter. Mostly, you’ll come across 3D printers that use a filament diameter of 1.75mm. The next famous filament diameter that 3D printers use is 3mm. Now, if the filament diameter you use for your 3D Printer is wrong, you’d experience maximum difficulties trying to fit the filament and use it for printing. However, if you’ve got the right filament diameter but you still experience difficulty fitting the filament into the Printer, the chances are that the old filament remnant is stuck in the nozzle. Then, you’ll have to take it out before you can fit the filament in.
Too much filament:
If you pay attention and notice that your Printer keeps extruding too much plastic, which could ruin your object, there are a couple of things you can do. Start by checking the extruder multiplier setting to see if you messed with a setting that’s led to the extruder extruding a lot more plastic than expected. If the setting is fine, you might want to check the stepper motors significantly if you recently changed them. The truth is, when you upgrade or change your stepper motor to a new one, it could lead to your extruder extruding more plastic than necessary. Also, if the stepper motor is entirely different from what you’re used to, it could birth this problem. You should also check the drive gear. If you’ve got a new drive gear, you might want to master it a bit and pay attention to some details, like if the diameter of your old drive gear is smaller or more prominent than the new one.
If it is smaller or bigger in diameter, you’ll surely experience the “too much plastic problem.” The best way to fix it is to get the exact drive gear that fits perfectly into your Printer.
Related: How to Change Filament on Ender 3 3D Printer
Stuck Filament:
When the filament gets jammed or stuck, it becomes difficult for the nozzle or Printer to extrude your plastic to create your desired object. But there’s a way out.
Solution:
the solution to the jammed filament is to preheat the nozzle. Then, detach the extruder’s tensioner. While holding the tensioner, add your filament and watch if it would slide out through the nozzle. Once it does, keep the tensioner out of the filament’s way so it doesn’t latch unto it.
About 3d Printer Repair Services
Just like when you want to fix your car, you take it to the mechanic to get it fixed, there are 3D printer repair services around you. They have to select the 3D Printer. If you’re a hobbyist, you can attempt to resolve the Printer by yourself. However, there’s a limit to how many repairs you can handle. For instance, when you need to change certain parts of the 3D Printer, you should probably leave it to the professional 3D printer fixers to change the parts. The reason is, they know the part that’s compatible with and best for your 3D Printer.
If you’re worried that businesses that offer 3D printing repair services might charge you more than you expect, they won’t. Some businesses have an affordable pricing plan that suits your appetite. 3D printer repair services usually include repair and maintenance. You can repair your extruder and expect to get a better, high-quality one when you use 3D printer repair services.
DIY: Repair 3d Printer Yourself
The first thing you should note about repairing your 3D Printer is that you have first to diagnose the problem before attempting to fix the issue. However, you can’t resolve all 3D printer issues with DIYs.
Depending on the severity of the issue, you might need to take your 3D Printer to a 3D printer repair store to get it fixed.
So, if the issue with your 3D Printer is power-related, you can fix it in the DIY style. You can resolve some filament-related issues with DIY. Simply refer to the 3D printing process to see how you can fix minor 3D printer issues that do not require changing parts quickly.
Wrap Up
Fixing your 3D Printer is not a difficult task. You need to diagnose the problem first, then make moves to fix it. Diagnoses help you determine what the issue is and if it’s an issue that you can troubleshoot via DIY techniques or if you’ll need to take it to the repair store. Regardless of what you choose to do, you should know when to draw the line between the faults you can fix via DIY and the faults you need a professional to heal so you do not damage the 3D Printer in the long run.
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