Hardware Issues

Material cures in the resin tray from ambient light sources.

Your 3D Systems installer will not have staged a Printer in the path of ambient UV light. Sunlight (even through windows), quartz-halogen lights, high-intensity incandescent lights, and other UV-intensive lighting can cure material quickly if the upper-build-chamber door is left open too long. Ensure that you do not change the room around a printer such that it is in the path of any of these UV sources.

To clean cured material out of the resin tray:

1. Remove the resin tray from the machine.
2. If cured material is on the upper lip of the tray, as in the picture at the left, use the Resin Mixer to scrape the cured material off.
3. If cured material is in the main part of the tray, it will likely be floating on top as a thin film. You should be able to lift this film out wearing nitrile gloves.

In either case, you must discard the rest of the material in the resin tray, as you will not have a way of knowing the amount this material has cured. Discard the material according to all government regulations.

The resin tray will have to be replaced. Also, see HW4 and HW5 below for how to handle any spilled material. Contact 3D Systems to order more trays. It is a good idea to have at least one extra resin tray on-hand for each Printer to reduce printer downtime.

Please see the Resin Tray Care page for helpful tips on how to keep the resin tray from getting damaged.

If elevator arms appear to be loose when placing a print platform on them, gently push on the arms in multiple directions to see if they move. If they do, contact 3D Systems immediately.

Material spills in different parts of the machine will require different actions by the printer operator. Please find the scenario that matches your spill below:

1. Spilled material is contained in the catch tray reservoirs, and no material is on catch-tray glass - Remove the catch tray and dispose of the material in the tray according to all government regulations. Rinse the catch tray out with IPA or EtOH and re-install in machine.
   
2. Spilled material hits the catch-tray glass - Follow the guidelines in the section Clean/Replace the Catch Tray to determine if your catch tray needs to be cleaned or replaced.
   
3. Spilled material hits projector lens - Follow the guidelines in the section Clean Projector Lens to determine if you can clean your lens, or if the material spill is too wide-spread to clean with simple means. If it appears that material has cured on the lens, contact 3D Systems Service immediately.
   

   CAUTION: Do not attempt to clean anything in the lower print chamber outside of what is listed in this guide. Doing so risks further damage to the printer. For large material spills, Contact 3D Systems Service immediately.

4. Spilled material hits components of the upper build chamber - If the material has spilled on the upper-build-chamber door (A), do NOT use IPA. Clean the door according to the section Clean Upper-Build-Chamber Door. If the material has hit any other component besides the upper-build-chamber door, clean the spill with IPA and a nonabrasive cloth.
   
5. Spilled material is only on the MDM Drip Tray and/or Printer Drip Tray. Clean the drip trays and spill sensor, according to the section Clean Drip Trays.

Material spills outside the machine will require different actions by the printer operator. Please find the scenario that matches your spill below:

Porous surfaces - These are surfaces that will absorb liquids. Examples of porous surfaces are: carpeting, unfinished wood, certain stone cards/counters. Your 3D Systems installer should not have staged a Printer on surfaces such as these, as material cannot be reliably cleaned out of them. If material spills on these, the recommendation is replace the affected sections of the surface.

Non-porous surfaces - These are surfaces that will absorb little or no liquid. Examples of non-porous surfaces are: metal, glass, hard plastic, concrete, and finished wood. To clean spills on these surfaces, use paper towels to soak up as much material as possible. Use IPA and paper towels to clean residual spilled material. Discard all spilled material and cleaning materials according to all government regulations.

1. There may be material buildup on the screen. Clean the screen with IPA and a nonabrasive cloth.
2. Shut down the Controller. Wait 30 seconds and power it back on. Test the screen again.
   

   NOTE: Shutting down the Controller will stop any pending jobs in the print queue. It will NOT abort any current print jobs.

3. If items 1 and 2 do not fix the issue, contact 3D Systems Service.

1. There may be material buildup on the screen. Clean the screen with IPA and a nonabrasive cloth.
2. Shut down the printer. Wait 30 seconds and power it back on. Test the screen again.
   

   CAUTION: Shutting down the Printer will abort the current print job. Be sure the unit is not printing before shutting it down.

3. If items 1 and 2 do not fix the issue, contact 3D Systems Service.

1. Check all connections on the back of the touch screen to ensure they are secured in their inputs.
2. Controller may be experiencing communication or firmware difficulties. Shut down the Controller. Wait 30 seconds and power it back on. Test the screen again.
   

   NOTE: Shutting down the Controller will stop any pending jobs in the print queue. It will NOT abort any current print jobs.

3. If necessary, press the Auto button on the back of the monitor to automatically detect the video source. Also, ensure that the green power light is on.
   
4. If items 1-3 do not fix the issue, contact 3D Systems Service.

1. Printer may be experiencing communication or firmware difficulties. Shut down the unit. Wait 30 seconds and power it back on. Test the screen again.
   

   CAUTION: Shutting down the Printer will abort the current print job. Be sure the unit is not printing before shutting it down.

2. If item 1 does not fix the issue, contact 3D Systems Service.

1. Look on the Status tab on the Controller, and on the touch screen of the Printer, to make sure there is not a low-pressure warning.
2. Ensure there is no debris or partially cured material on the resin tray.
   
   Exaggerated for effect
3. Ensure there is no debris or partially cured material on the tension arms.
   
   Exaggerated for effect
4. If nothing appears to obstructing the movement of the tension arms, and they still do not close, contact 3D Systems Service.

1. Ensure that the MDM is fully seated in the machine and that no hoses or cables are interfering with the smooth action of the MDM drawer.

2. Ensure there are no obstructions blocking the door from closing, particularly around the hinges, door jamb, and door-closed sensor.

1. Ensure that the print platform is seated flat and correctly on the elevator arms, with the triangular grooves of the platform fitting around the conical pins on the elevator arms. Ensure that no built-up material or other debris are preventing this from happening.
   
2. Ensure that there is nothing obstructing the sides or back of the elevator spine that limits the motion of the elevator arms.

1. Ensure your facility's breaker for this printer has not tripped.
2. Unplug affected module, wait 30 seconds, and plug back in.
3. If 1 and 2 do not solve issue, contact 3D Systems Service immediately.

1. Change out the carbon filter on the back of the machine, as in the section Changing Out the Carbon Filter.
2. If you have ductwork connected to the machine, ensure there is not a leak or fault in your duct work. As the ductwork is not installed by 3D Systems, this is the responsibility of the Operator to diagnose/repair.
3. If you do not have ductwork installed for your Figure 4 Modular, consider having it done on your machine to vent odors outside.

Material cartridge collapsed in the MDM

Collapse exaggerated for clarity

1. Leave the cartridge in the MDM, remove the ventilation cap and ensure the induction seal has been removed.
2. Reinstall ventilation cap and remove cartridge from MDM. Put the red, rubber cap over the cartridge valve and inspect the cartridge for leaks. If leaking, perform the steps in HW20, below. If there are no leaks, wait 30-60 minutes for the cartridge to recover its form. Reinstall the cartridge in the MDM, loosen the ventilation cap, and continue printer operation. If cartridge is difficult to reinsert, do NOT force it. Wait another 30-60 minutes and try to insert again. If the problem persists, contact 3D Systems Service.
   

   NOTE: The cartridge may not completely recover its form after 30-60 minutes, but it should recover enough so it can be safely installed in the machine.

3. If you took the cartridge out before checking the ventilation cap and induction seal:
   
   1. Ensure you put the red, rubber cap over the cartridge valve.
   2. Put the cartridge in a cartridge stand. Remove the ventilation cap and ensure the induction seal has been removed. 
   3. Reinstall the ventilation cap loosely to allow the cartridge to ventilate 30-60 minutes to recover its form. DO NOT reinsert the cartridge in the machine until this time has passed. If it is difficult to reinsert, do NOT force it. Wait a while longer and try to insert again.  If the problem persists, contact 3D Systems Service.

1. Ensure the keyboard is turned on. Replace the batteries if the keyboard will not turn on. If it will not turn on with new batteries, contact 3D Systems Service.
2. Be sure the USB Bluetooth dongle is plugged into one of the USB slots on the Controller's table surface. If still experiencing issues, contact 3D Systems Service.

If you are getting a Material Delivery Error on the Printer screen, see item 27 in the Error Message Glossary.

If you are not getting an error message, keep in mind that It is normal for little, or no, material to be flowing out of the tubing for a few minutes under the following circumstances:

• New MCO kit installation
• Installation of used MCO kit that was stored outside the Printer for some time
• Printer has been unused for more than a few days
• New material cartridge has been installed

You might be trying to clear a message on the printer by taking steps to satisfy a sensor. For example, the printer might tell you it needs a print platform installed to continue. If you have fulfilled this condition, but the printer still shows the message, take the following steps:

1. Double-check the condition that should satisfy the sensor, ensuring there is nothing obstructing the sensor.
2. On the Controller Status tab, disable the printer and re-enable it. Test the sensor again.
3. If items 1 and 2 do not solve the issue, contact 3D Systems Service.

A leaking material cartridge cannot be repaired. Please take the following steps if your cartridge is leaking:

1. Wearing nitrile gloves, and holding a drip tray underneath, remove the cartridge from the machine.
   
2. Discard the cartridge according to all government regulations. Contact 3D Systems service to report the leak.