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Preventative Maintenance

To keep the Figure 4 Jewelry Printer in proper working order, it is necessary to perform certain procedures for preventative maintenance. The operator can perform these tasks without the supervision, or services, of a certified Service Technician. The following section describes the most up-to-date preventative maintenance procedures.

CAUTION: Before performing any preventative maintenance procedures, power the printer down using the power switch on the back and disconnect printer power by unplugging the power cord from the back of the machine.

Cleaning the Printer

Frequency: Monthly

The external and internal parts of the printer should be cleaned according to the guidelines in the following sections. Here is a quick overview:

  1. Clean the flooring/walls/surfaces around the printer with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to ensure that any resin drips have been wiped up. For cleaning dust and other debris, use a small vacuum or other method that does not kick up dust clouds.
  2. Clean the outside printer frame, EXCEPT FOR THE LID, with IPA and a nonabrasive cloth. Please see the section Inspect Printer Lid for instructions on cleaning the printer lid.
  3. Use IPA and a nonabrasive cloth to clean elevator arms.
  4. The following sections will give instructions on how to remove and clean more-specific parts of the printer. Please review all sections before cleaning your printer to ensure you are properly cleaning each component.

Clean/Replace the Catch Tray

Remove and Clean the Catch Tray

Frequency: Weekly

Once per week, inspect the catch-tray glass for smudges, dust, and print material. If any of these is present, remove the catch tray and clean it with a clean-room wipe and the recommended solvent, as described below.

If there has been a significant leak from the resin tray, replace the resin tray and install the new catch tray that came with the new resin tray.

CAUTION: Do not attempt to use a catch tray after it has captured a significant spill of print material. It can be difficult to clean the glass well enough to ensure perfect transmission of the UV radiation and ensure good print quality.  Instead, replace the catch tray. 3D Systems is not responsible for print quality failures due to a contaminated catch tray. Do not attempt to clean the catch tray while it is still inside the printer. The cleaning methods discussed below could cause damage to printer components if attempted inside the printer.

ALWAYS WEAR 100% nITRILE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING THE CATCH TRAY, EVEN IF IT APPEARS THERE IS NO RESIN ON THE OUTSIDE OF IT. Getting fingerprints or other debris on the catch-tray GLASS can degrade print quality. remove/Hold the tray with both hands and upright to prevent spilling.

 

  1. Carefully pull the catch tray toward you until it comes off its track. Keep the tray upright at all times while pulling it out of the machine.

remove-catch-tray.jpg
  1. If the catch tray glass is visually clean of dust and material drips, skip to the section Replace the Catch Tray below. If the catch-tray glass has normal dust or other debris on it, proceed to Step 3. If only the catch-tray reservoirs have print material in them, proceed to Step 4. If the catch-tray glass only has a few drops of print material on it, proceed to Step 5.

CAUTION: Do NOT reuse print material that has spilled into the catch tray. Spilled material is no longer viable for printing, as contaminants could have mixed with it.
 
  1. You may use any of the following methods to clean dust or other debris off the catch tray:
    1. Use shop air to blow debris off both sides of the catch-tray glass. Be sure you clean both sides.
    2. Use a non-ammonia-based glass cleaner and a nonabrasive cloth to remove finger prints or other debris. Be sure to clean both sides of the glass. After cleaning, use shop air or give the glass plenty of time to air dry before reinstalling.
  2. To clean spilled print material in the catch tray and discard it:
    1. Pour out and discard the material in the catch tray according to all government regulations.
    2. Hold the catch tray over a drip pan and squirt the recommended solvent into the catch tray, tilting the tray so that all waste material comes out.
    3. Use a nonabrasive cloth or lint-free paper towel to dry the inside of the catch tray.
    4. Discard the catch tray and all waste products according to all government regulations.
clean-catch-tray-glass.jpg
Catch tray with clean glass

 
  1. To clean spots of print material on the catch-tray glass:
    1. Pour the recommended solvent onto a nonabrasive cloth such as a clean-room wipe.
    2. Wipe the glass inside the catch tray until no more print material exists.
    3. Turn the catch tray over and, using a new cloth sprayed with the recommended solvent, wipe the glass on the bottom of the catch tray.
    4. Use shop air or give the glass plenty of time to air-dry before reinstalling.
  2. Inspect the catch tray, ensuring that the glass plate has not detached or become damaged during cleaning.

clean-catch-tray-1.gif

clean-catch-tray-2.gif

clean-catch-tray-3.gif

Replace the Catch Tray

Use the following instructions to reinsert the catch tray into the printer or to install a new catch tray.

CAUTION: Operating the printer without a catch tray installed risks getting material on the print-engine components, and risks over-curing of the printed parts, as the projector's radiation is filtered slightly by the catch-tray glass. Printing without a catch tray installed will also slightly alter the size of printed parts.

 

  1. Line up the catch tray on the rails.
 line-up-catch-tray-on-rails.jpg
  1. Hold up the catch tray, flush with the underside of the chassis, and push it toward the back of the printer until it stops at the back of the rails. See the picture below for the correct orientation to install the catch tray.

catch-tray-orientation.jpg

 reinstall-catch-tray-10142019.jpg
  1. Push gently against the front of the catch tray to ensure that it does not go back any more and is fully seated in the machine.

Clean Resin Tray

Frequency: When changing materials, or monthly if using same material

If you haven't cleaned the resin tray in between builds, you must at least clean it periodically. Please follow the instructions in the section Clean Resin Tray to do so.

CAUTION: Failure to clean the resin tray regularly risks having partially cured material bits in the tray, which can cause resin-tray membrane punctures and build failures.

Clean Tension System

Frequency: Monthly

You must periodically clean the tension latches on the left and right sides of the chassis.

WEAR 100% nitrile gloves throughout this procedure.

 

  1. Untension the resin tray and carefully remove it. Place it in the resin-tray garage with the lid on.

print-tray-garage-v2.jpg

 release-manual-tension-arm-v9.gif
  1. Remove both vanity covers from the printer chassis. Clean the vanity covers with a nonabrasive cloth and IPA.
 remove-vanity-covers.jpg
  1. Pour IPA on a nonabrasive cloth. Clean both latches and inspect them for any signs of damage. If there is damage, contact 3D Systems Service.
 clean-tension-latches-1.jpg
  1. Clean the top and bottom of the tension arm itself with IPA. Inspect the tension arm for any signs of damage. If there is damage, contact your reseller.
  2. Reinstall the vanity covers over the chassis.
 top-and-bottom-tension-arm.jpg

Cleaning of the tension system is now complete.

Clean Membrane Interface Lip

Frequency: Weekly

The membrane interface lip is pictured below. It is the part of the chassis that makes contact with the resin-tray membrane.

membrane-interface-lip.png

If the lip has dust, debris, or print material on it, clean it with IPA and a nonabrasive cloth. Inspect the lip for any damage, as chips or cracks could affect the tension of the resin-tray membrane during printing.

Clean Touch Screen and QR Code Scanner

Frequency: Monthly
  1. Ensure that the printer's touch screen does not have print material, dust, or other debris on it. If it does, pour IPA on a nonabrasive cloth and wipe the screen down.
 gui-(2).jpg
  1. Ensure that the QR-Code Scanner's window does not have print material, dust, or other debris on it. If it does, pour IPA on a nonabrasive cloth and wipe the screen down. You will not have access to clean behind the scanner's window. If you see that print material and/or debris has gotten inside the scanner window, contact your reseller.
 qr-code-scanner-(2).png

Inspect Printer Lid

Frequency: Monthly

Inspect Dust Seals

There are strips of dust-sealing material around the underside of the printer lid. These strips must remain intact to avoid dust and other debris entering the print chamber. There are seven strips in total, as indicated at the right. If ANY of these strips is damaged or removed, cease printing until the strip is replaced. print-lid-dust-sealers.jpg

Inspect Printer Lid for Damage

Ensure that there is no damage to the printer lid that could hinder the printing process. Normal scratches are okay. Look for:

  1. Cracks in the lid's plastic. Any cracks could expose the printing area to ambient UV light, which could affect part quality and could also cure material in the resin tray.
  2. Breaks that do not allow the lid to close completely. If the lid does not fully close, the printing area could be exposed to ambient UV light.
  3. Breaks that do not allow the lid to stay open when lifted. This type of break will make many print processes more difficult and prone to error.

If any of these conditions is found to exist, contact your reseller for replacement information.

 nextdent-lid-closed.jpg

Clean Lid

The printer lid is made of acrylic and must be cleaned with a specialty product such as Novus No. 1 or Brillianize.  A mild solution of soap or detergent and water can also be safely used. NEVER use window-cleaning fluids with ammonia (such as Windex or Formula 409), gasoline, denatured alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, or acetone, which will cause the acrylic to crack. It is best not to have a print platform or resin tray installed during lid cleaning, so as not to contaminate either with the cleaner you are using.

  1. Apply the cleaning product with a damp, nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. Using a microfiber cloth or cellulose sponge is also acceptable.
  2. Rinse with a nonabrasive cloth and clear, clean water.
  3. Blot-dry with a chamois, damp cellulose sponge, or microfiber cloth to prevent water spotting

NOTE: Grease, oil, and tar may be removed with a good grade of hexane, naptha or kerosene. Be sure to wash these solvents off quickly to prevent damage to the acrylic.

Inspect Projector Lens and All Cables

Frequency: Every two weeks
  1. Ensure that the power cable is in good shape. If the cable is damaged and/or any wiring is exposed, cease use of the printer and order a new power cable.
    
  1. Ensure the Ethernet cable is in good shape and that it still connects tightly on the network port of both the printer and your Ethernet outlet. If this cable is damaged and/or wiring is exposed, cease use of printer and replace Ethernet cable.

Inspect the area around both wired connections for dust collection and other debris. Keeping these areas clean will prevent a static hazard and potential damage to the printer.

  
  1. Clean the projector lens every two weeks or as needed. Use a clean-room swab and >90% IPA to wipe the projector lens of any dust or print material drips. Be sure to wet the clean-room swab with the IPA, rather than squirting IPA directly onto the lens. Wear 100% nitrile gloves whenever handling IPA.

CAUTION: If print material has spilled on the lens, do not use the printer until this has been cleaned off. Do not use the printer if print material has spilled onto the projector, rather than just the lens. Do not attempt to clean the projector. Contact your reseller immediately.

ipa-on-swab.gif

wipe-lens-with-swab.gif

Check Printer Level

Frequency: Every three months

It is necessary to periodically check that the printer is still level relative to the chassis, whether it is on the pedestal or not.

Place bubble level on chassis, as seen at the right. If the bubble is not in the center of the circle, follow the steps in the section Level the Printer on Pedestal. If not using the pedestal, take steps to level the surface your printer is sitting on.

 level-printer-via-elevator-v3.jpg

Check Print Platform Level

Frequency: As needed

If the print surface on the print platform is not level, it will affect the quality of your builds and may even lead to build failure. If a print platform is not level, it cannot be reliably bent to be made level and must be discarded according to all government regulations. This section describes how to identify the two ways in which your platform might be bent.

Identify a Convex Print Platform

  1. Place the print platform, print-surface down, on a level surface.
  2. Place a spacer of some kind that is between 0.5mm - 0.75mm thick (such as a credit card, shim, or washer) on the same level surface next to the platform.

    NOTE: This test will be more accurate the closer your spacer is to 0.5mm.
  3. Slide the spacer against one corner of the platform and ensure that the spacer does NOT fit underneath. If the spacer does fit underneath, the platform is convex on that corner.
 test-convex-platform.jpg
  1. Perform this check for each corner of the platform. If the spacer fits under any corner, the platform is convex and must be discarded.
 test-convex-platform-2.jpg

Identify a Concave Print Platform

  1. Obtain a small spacer between 0.5mm - 0.75mm thick, such as a round shim or washer. Place the spacer on a level surface.
  2. Place the print platform, print-surface down, on top of the spacer such that the spacer is in the center of the platform.

test-concave-plat-1.jpg

Shown upside-down for clarity
  1. Gently push down on each of the four sides of the platform, one-at-a-time, and ensure that the platform rocks in the direction you are pushing. If the platform does NOT rock, it is an indication that the platform surface is concave.

concave-plat-good-test.jpg

Good test - the platform tilts and is NOT concave. It may be reused.
 

concave-plat-bad-test.jpg

Bad test - the platform does not tilt and is concave. It may NOT be reused. Platform bend in this image is exaggerated for clarity.

Preventative Maintenance Checklist

This checklist is designed to help you keep up to date with regular printer maintenance. This is NOT an official document that must be submitted to your reseller; it is only for your information. Fill out the information in ALL the fields, and then press ctrl+P (cmd+P on Mac) to print the document. There is space at the bottom to sign and date if you wish to do so.

This is NOT an online form and is not submitted to any entity.

Company Name:
Maintenance Performer:
Date:

Weekly Items

Clean Membrane Interface Lip (link)

Every 2 weeks

Only check box if performed this week. Otherwise, just fill in the date last performed.

Inspect Projector Lens and All Cables (link) - Last performed
Without removing the Catch Tray, Inspect Catch-Tray Glass for smudges/print material. Remove and clean if necessary (link). - Last performed

Monthly

Only check box if performed this week. Otherwise, just fill in the date last performed.

Clean Resin Tray (link) - Last performed
Cleaning the Printer (link) - Last performed
Clean Tension System (link) - Last performed
Inspect and Clean Printer Lid (link) - Last performed
Clean Touch Screen and QR-Code Scanner (link) - Last performed

Every 3 Months

Only check box if performed this week. Otherwise, just fill in the date last performed.

Change Air Filter (link) - Last performed
Change Carbon Filter (link) - Last performed
Check Printer Level (link) - Last performed
Maintenance Performer Signature: Date:
   
_________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________

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