Why metal 3D printers need to be maintained?
Neglecting to take antifreeze measures in winter would mainly affect core components such as lasers and chillers. It is because ice is less dense than water, so the cooling water flowing through the core components inside the laser will expand once it freezes. This may lead to pipeline damage, seriously affecting the operation of core components and causing major losses. In addition, the temperature of the laser installation environment should be controlled between 59-86℉ and the humidity should be less than 50%. Otherwise, the laser may cause alarms, unstable operation and even damage to the metal 3D printers.
Common causes of freezing on core components
When operating temperatures is under 32℉, heating facilities are critical to maintaining equipment. If there is no heating facility or the heating is stopped for a long time, the long-term stoppage of the laser will cause the freezing damage of the metal 3D printer parts. For chillers, icing accidents will also occur if they are placed in an outdoor environment with a low temperature.
What maintenance measures can be taken to prevent freezing?
The most direct way is to ensure that the operating environment temperature is above 32℉. If the ambient temperature cannot be maintained, it is necessary to keep the laser and the chiller on. The key is to keep the water flowing and prevent it from freezing. Or, you can follow the steps below to drain the water in the laser, chiller tank and pipeline:
a) Drain the water in the chiller first, mainly the water tank and pipeline.
b) Then drain the water in the laser and other water pipes outside the chiller.
c) Finally, clean the moisture in the filter element of the chiller.
Precautions for metal 3D printer maintenance
1. The filter element needs to be replaced or cleaned before shutting down if the equipment will not be used for a long time, and the waste tank below should also be cleaned.
2. Make sure to clean up the metal powder in the equipment cabin, and complete the last cleaning treatment inside the cabin before shutting down.
3. Drain the cooling water in the chiller, laser and water circuit.
4. Make sure to turn off the host and disconnect the power of each part.
5. Disconnect the power supply and gas source of the nitrogen generator and discharge the residual gas in the buffer tank to prevent the equipment from being on standby due to overload.
6. It is recommended to store the metal powder dry and sealed to avoid moisture absorption.
7. In order to prevent excessive humidity in the environment where the equipment is located, a desiccant can be placed in the equipment and wrapped for protection.
8. Carry out dust prevention and protection work to ensure that the operating environment is clean and dust-free.
9. Be careful not to damage equipment when cleaning and maintaining work compartments.
Precautions for restarting metal 3D printers
1. Check the printer and the installation environment to ensure that the water and electricity supply is in operation.
2. Clean up the environment where the printer is located to ensure it is dust-free and dry.
3. Clean the printer and post-processing equipment.
4. Refill the cooling water to ensure that the chiller reaches the water level of the standard scale line.
5. Check that all parts of the 3D printing machine can work normally when powered on.
6. Use metal 3D printers to print samples for testing first.
For any further concerns regarding the maintenance of Eplus3D metal 3D printers, welcome to contact us directly!
